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

Chaleur Blanc
Chaleur Blanc: front of bottle with wine in glass

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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

Tasting notes: Honey, Bitter, Fruity, Bright

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.

Last updated: March 20, 2023

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).

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