DeLille Cellars Chaleur Blanc Review
As I find with most Washington wines, it’s more subtle than a California version of the same blend would (usually) be. I often think of Washington as a wine love child of California and France — more structure and ripeness than France, but less than California.
Wine review by: Jessyca Frederick |


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About this Wine
Wine: 2020 Chaleur Blanc
Blend: 72% Sauvignon Blanc, 28% Sémillon
Region: Columbia Valley, Washington
Retail price: $38
I consumed it: February 2022
My source: The Sunset Magazine Wine Club by Wine Access
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From this wine club: The Sunset Magazine Wine Club by Wine Access
From this winery: DeLille Cellars
Region: Washington
Wine color/style: White wine
Grape variety or blend: White blends
Chaleur Blanc: What I think
I liked this. I haven’t had many traditional White Bordeaux Blends, but what I liked was that the Semillon added a bit of a honeyed, bitterish note to counteract the Sauv Blanc’s acidic fruitiness. It almost reminded me of a brighter Viognier or a Viognier/Roussanne blend.
As I find with most Washington wines, it’s more subtle than a California version of the same blend would (usually) be. I often think of Washington as a wine love child of California and France — more structure and ripeness than France, but less than California.
Notice: I hold no formal wine credentials. I am a wine geek who has consumed 1000+ of bottles from 100+ different wine clubs and 1000s more bottles that didn’t come from those wine clubs. I do not accept payment for wine reviews, and I do not accept payments to influence my opinions. I happily accept free wine (and I buy wine).
Why read my wine reviews: Wine taste is subjective. What I like may not be what you like. I try to leave room for you to form your own opinions, so I don’t provide a score or a rating. I do point out wines that are an incredible value or truly not worth the money. I note flaws, wines that don’t have typicity (because this matters if you are buying wine without having tasted it yourself), when wines are out of balance, and when wines lack appropriate body.
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