Ordering DeLille Cellars’s white Chaleur Estate in restaurants has become habit for me over the past couple of years, particularly when the sommelier is willing to decant it. The 2003 (consistently rated in the 90-91 range) has been my workhorse of late but I’m looking forward to the equally delicious 2004 Chaleur Estate (white). A blend of 58% Sauvignon Blanc and 42% Semillon, it has rich aromatics that offer notes of vanilla bean and melon balls. On the palate, this broad, medium-bodied effort displays outstanding depth of fruit and a silky texture. (Note: It should be served warmer than most whites). Dried honey, pears, apples, and honeydew melon flavors are intermingled with spices in its complex personality. Drink it over the next 3-4 years.
Tel. (425) 489-0544; www.delillecellars.com