From another hot year, the 2006 Harrison Hill has surprising elegance and purity, as well as full-bodied richness, ample concentration, a layered texture and a great finish. Giving up lots of toasted spice, chocolate, black cherries, roasted herbs and a distinct minerality, it’s drinking beautifully today and can be enjoyed anytime over the coming decade.

The 2006 Harrison Hill has essentially the same cepage as the Chaleur Estate but here the fruit is all from a single Yakima Valley vineyard, the second oldest in Washington. Dark ruby-colored, it offers up a fragrant nose of wood smoke, sage, mineral, incense, black currant, and blackberry. Smooth-textured, ripe, and savory on the palate, this intense effort will evolve for 3-5 more years and drink well through 2021. DeLille Cellars and Doyenne are sister labels, the former for Bordeaux-style wines and the latter for Rhone-style wines. They will be reviewed separately.www.delillecellars.com

The Harrison Hill vineyard has some of Washington’s oldest Cabernet vines, and offers a distinctive flavor profile within the Yakima Valley. Scents of violets and rose petals float above dark, wild berry fruit. It’s not sweet, yet is perfectly ripe, with polished tannins. As usual, this wine requires both cellaring and decanting to reveal itself fully.——P.G.(11/1/2009)—— 93