Washington State’s Quilceda Creek is doubling down on vineyard precision and clonal specificity in its pursuit of Cabernet supremacy. At a rare London tasting hosted by general manager Scott Lloyd, the boutique winery showcased an evolving portfolio that underscores not only its cult status, but a growing focus on site-driven wines.
Founded in 1978, Quilceda Creek was the 12th bonded winery in Washington post-Prohibition and is now known for producing some of the US’s most sought after wines. All fruit is sourced from estate vineyards in the Horse Heaven Hills and Red Mountain AVAs, with its winery being located west of the Cascades in Snohomish.
What has changed over the years, Lloyd explained, is an increasingly granular commitment to site and clone expression.
“We own all our vineyards. We prune everything by hand and harvest by night. Everything comes in block by block, clone by clone. It’s very, very specific.” In that sense, he says, “We are control freaks.”
This forensic approach is anchored in three sites: Mach One, Galitzine and the Champoux vineyards, where three distinct personalities are brought to the fore.
Mach One (pictured), planted 50 feet above the Columbia River, is the warmest and most dramatic of the three.
Lloyd said: “This has 300 days of sunlight, extreme diurnal shifts and basalt cliffs to the north which force early bud break. The result is a long growing season, nearly 30 days longer than many sites, allowing ample time for Cabernet Sauvignon grapes to develop to full physiological ripeness and flavour. It’s essentially a defensive hedge vineyard. You’re frost-protected and get a two-week advantage at both ends of the season. It’s pretty dramatic.”
The vineyard is home to the Palengat and Tchelistcheff bottlings, both single-clone, single-vineyard wines that reflect the site’s power and elegance. Palengat, made from Clone 685 since 2008, was once considered the portfolio’s underdog. More recently, it has been repositioned as a qualitative equal with its counterparts.
The Galitzine vineyard, located in the warmer Red Mountain AVA, brings tannin and structure to the equation. Planted in 2001 via Clone 8, the wine offers up longevity and power.
“This one is built for the long haul,” Lloyd said. “We regulate canopy for sun exposure, we’ve got big temperature swings and it’s always the first vineyard we harvest. It delivers intensity, black fruit and an earthy minerality we love.”
Meanwhile, Champoux Vineyard – the backbone of the flagship Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon – is prized for perfume and freshness.
The 2020, 2021 and 2022 Columbia Valley Cabernets presented at yesterday’s (15 July) tasting both reflect the 90/10% split between Champoux and Mach One. They are the only wines available internationally outside Quilceda Creek’s private membership system.
This private model, which accounts for around 90% of sales, has enabled Quilceda to maintain a loyal following despite scarcity and strong demand. In a nod to the team’s controlled approach, all wines are 100% free-run and cropped to just 1.5–1.7 tons per acre. “We want concentration, structure and freshness,” Lloyd said. “We don’t acidify. We don’t fine or filter. And it’s all 100% new French oak every year.”
During Covid, the team also ventured into whites. Quilceda’s ‘unicorn wine’, Quilceda Blanc – comprised of two-thirds Semillon and one-third Sauvignon Blanc – was sold exclusively to members with all proceeds donated to José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen, which supports people displaced by the conflict in Ukraine.
“It sold out in 49 minutes. We made it for ourselves and never meant to release it,” Lloyd said. While there are no specific plans to revive the white, he hinted at future exploration, but “Only if the fruit comes from our own vineyards. That way we control every aspect, which is our philosophy.”
For all their accolades, including clinching a place at President Obama’s 2011 state dinner for Chinese President Hu Jintao, Quilceda Creek is still looking to further explore and refine the site-focused expressions of its wines.
“Our motto is, ‘the best Quilceda Creek we’ve made is the next one’,” Lloyd shared. “We’re never satisfied. Every year we test new clones, new barrels, new techniques.”
The wines are available in the UK via Jeroboams.
