The 2009 Galitzine Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is more fragrant as well as more structured. It, too, is likely to be a 25 year wine.At Quilceda Creek it’s the same old story, great wines made by unpretentious people. The Golitzins decline to raise prices because they feel loyalty to the people who supported them from the beginning and who might not be able to afford connoisseur/collector pricing. As for the latest wines, they regard 2008 as ”a regular vintage with no issues; you could pick at your leisure”. They are considerably more excited by the 2009 vintage which they describe as “wines with tons of aroma?really good” which, given their understated manner, I interpret to mean really terrific. For this tasting, the 2009s were all tasted from barrel samples.Tel. (360) 568-2389; www.quilcedacreek.com

Also incredibly concentrated, with burly structure and a mountain of tannin, the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Galitzine Vineyard (99% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Merlot) delivers a seriously intense array of blackberry and kirsch-styled fruit, licorice, charcoal and spice box on both the nose and palate. Aged for 22 months in 100% new French oak and a big, broad shouldered, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon, it possesses a rocking mid-palate and fabulous length on the finish. Really showing the power of its Red Mountain terroir, it needs 4-5 years of bottle age to become civilized and will have decades of evolution. Drink 2017-2034. This line up was one of the highlights of my trip through Washington and without a doubt, this awesome estate, which is run by Paul and Alex Golitzin, is producing some of the top Cabernet Sauvignon blends in the state, and I would venture, the world. While all of the wines are incredibly age-worthy, the tannins are so well managed and the textures so polished, they dish out immense pleasure even in their youth. The estate’s top cuvee, Paul’s Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon comes primarily from the warmer Champoux Vineyard located in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA, yet also incorporates smaller components from Ciel du Cheval, Klipsun, Tapteil and Galitzine. It sees roughly 22 months in 100% new French oak. Tel. (360) 568-2389; www.quilcedacreek.com