To our mind, Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon is the one wine that tells the entire story of the American wine industry since Prohibition. Founded in 1979 by Alex and Jeannette Golitzin (with frequent assists and consultations over the years by Alex's uncle, the father of modern American winemaking, André Tchelistcheff!) in the garage of their home in suburban Seattle, their initial Cabernet Sauvignons were fermented in milk processing equipment, but within just a couple of years, critics were bestowing 100 point ratings. What's followed has been success after success, vintage after vintage- with Alex and Jeannette's son, Paul, taking the reins in 1992.
Equally as impressive have been the Golitzins' unerring good instincts and their dedication to making this exceptional wine with the same end result in mind for 43 straight vintages. The 2021 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon- which is 90% Champoux Vineyard and 10% Mach One Vineyard, both Horse Heaven Hills AVA- continues a tradition of making big, open-knit wines...but never too big and never without perfect focus, structure and tension. All the elements of classic Washington Cabernet are here, yet the typical blackberry-and-spice characteristics aren't the beginning and the end of what develops in the cellar and in the glass. And yes, it has the 100-point scores from a couple of critics, but to buy this wine based on the score alone is to not avail yourself of all the pleasures it has to offer.