The release of the 2010 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon to mailing list members began last week. As in years past, there seems to be a movement on the various wine boards to knock Quilceda Creek off of it’s pedestal.
A common opinion is that Quilceda Creek is not worthy of the “inflated” scores it received from Jay Miller of the Wine Advocate. I contend that, in addition to those high scores, Quilceda Creek gets almost equally as impressive numbers from the Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast and the Washington Wine Report.
Some claim that, with the apparent change in style of the wines around the ’02 vintage, the wines will no longer age as well as the bruisers we love from the 1990’s – notably the ’94 and ’98. This argument no longer holds water either: The ’02 and ’03 are still young, powerful wines that will age effortlessly for another decade.
Others, including myself, took shots at Quilceda Creek for relentlessly raising prices for almost a decade. Well they did not raise prices with this vintage, and at $135 are relatively underpriced when compared to 2010 wines from Spottswoode, Scarecrow, Lynch Bages and Pichon Baron, to name a few.
Finally, many argue that Quilceda Creek does not taste like the Napa Cabernets or Bordeaux they hold near and dear. Why should it? This is Washington Cabernet, and I would not be a fan if it tasted like wines from other regions. If you want a Cabernet that tastes like a wine from Napa, why would you look in Walla Walla of all places?
Quilceda Creek is simply an exceptionally well-made, world class wine and worthy of the scores it receives and the price it commands. Take a moment and give Quilceda Creek its due!
I’ve blogged about Quilceda Creek previously in Zinfandel Chronicles Power Rankings.
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