Chaleur Estate 2005 Grand Ciel Cabernet Sauvignon (Red Mountain)

This is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from DeLille's estate-owned vineyard. Pure, focused and expressive, it is both tightly defined and bursting with bright, spicy red and black fruit. What is given away in terms of breadth (from a lack of blending grapes) is gained in terms of depth; this really shows the varietal character (in Washington) as well as the character (rock, streaks of iron) of the Red Mountain AVA. This lovely bottle from a young vineyard has the muscle and character to develop in bottle over 15–20 years. Paul Gregutt