(April 5, 2022; Snohomish, WA)—Quilceda Creek General Manager Scott Lloyd, announced today that the winery has released its first new bottlings in over a decade with two member-exclusive, single clone cabernet sauvignons from the stunning Mach One Vineyard: the 2019 Quilceda Creek “Palengat” Cabernet Sauvignon Mach One Vineyard Clone 685 and the 2019 Quilceda Creek “Tchelistcheff” Cabernet Sauvignon Mach One Vineyard Clone 412.
The 2019 Quilceda Creek “Palengat” Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% Clone 685 cabernet sauvignon from Mach One Vineyard. In addition to being a single vineyard, single varietal, single clone bottling, the 2019 “Palengat” is an expression of barrels from a single artisanal cooperage, completing the winery’s longstanding vision for this wine. Deep purple-black in color, the nose has a wonderful perfume of blueberry, plum and cassis fruit. Nuances of lavender, leather, chocolate, minerals and spice coat the palate. It has a singular personality, with great purpose, and is unquestionably the best “Palengat” to date. This is the new direction for “Palengat,” which has been produced since 2006, and will be its ongoing identity.
The 2019 Quilceda Creek “Tchelistcheff” Cabernet Sauvignon is named after founder Alex Golitzin’s mother’s maiden name, who was the sister of legendary winemaker, André Tchelistcheff known as the “Dean of American winemaking.” This continues the winery’s tradition of using family names for new and limited bottlings. The 2019 “Tchelistcheff” is 100% Clone 412 cabernet sauvignon from Mach One Vineyard. The resulting wine is distinctive and unique. Black in color, with an aromatic cornucopia of spicy black fruits with nuances of anise, unsmoked cigars, bay leaf and minerals can all be found in this rich and complex wine.
“Since our founding in 1978, this is the first time that we have produced single clone bottlings of cabernet, and we couldn’t have asked for a better vintage to debut the new ‘Palengat’ and ‘Tchelistcheff,’” says President and Director of Winemaking Paul Golitzin. “Above average temperatures and historically low vineyard yields resulted in wines of exceptional quality in 2019. We are thrilled to be releasing two wines that truly demonstrate the unique terroir of the Mach One vineyard.”
Mach One Vineyard is a unique and stunning site overlooking the Columbia River in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA. It sits atop the Columbia Plateau, a basalt plateau nearly two kilometers thick formed by massive lava flows approximately 17 million years ago. Mach One and the surrounding Wallula Gap area were formed around 16,000 years ago, when erosion due to the cataclysmic Missoula floods exposed the ancient basalt. The amphitheater of basalt cliffs warms the site in early spring, resulting in bud break up to two weeks earlier than other vineyard sites. The Columbia River acts as an additional heat source in the fall, further protecting the site from early freezes. The net effect is nearly an extra month of growing season, making this an ideal site for growing cabernet sauvignon. Mach One was planted in 2010 to experiment with French cabernet clones 685 and 412 on their own rootstock, allowing them to grow and express themselves in a more natural and distinct way.
“This was the first time these two clones were planted in Washington State,” says Golitzin. “What began as an experiment proved to be such a resounding success that we decided to showcase each of these clones on their own and share them with our loyal private members to enjoy.”
André Tchelistcheff mentored Quilceda Creek co-founder Alex Golitzin when he decided that he wanted to make wine in the Pacific Northwest. Tchelistcheff advised Alex to “pick one thing and do it well,” and Alex chose to focus on cabernet sauvignon. During his youth, Alex’s son Paul Golitzin grew up around “Great-Uncle André.” Once Paul decided that winemaking was his calling, he was mentored by his father Alex, his great-uncle André and André’s son, uncle Dimitri, when he became full-time winemaker in 1992.
“The ‘Tchelistcheff’ bottling is a very special wine to me, and I believe it honors my family and its legacy,” says Golitzin. “In our never-ending pursuit of the perfect cabernet sauvignon, we believe these clones from the Mach One Vineyard have something unique to show cabernet-lovers across the globe.”
Quilceda Creek is best known for the iconic Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($225), which has been made across more than 40 vintages and was the first wine from Washington State to receive a 100-point rating. While the best way to acquire the wine is by becoming a private member, there is a small amount distributed in retail and restaurants. All other Quilceda Creek wines, including CVR Red Wine ($70), “Galitzine Vineyard” Cabernet Sauvignon ($225), “Palengat” Mach One Vineyard Clone 685 Cabernet Sauvignon ($225) and “Tchelistcheff” Mach One Vineyard Clone 412 Cabernet Sauvignon ($225) are available to private members only.
About Quilceda Creek Winery
Quilceda Creek was established in 1978 by Alex and Jeannette Golitzin. The winery’s first vintage was in 1979, making Quilceda Creek the 12th oldest winery in Washington after prohibition. Alex Golitzin’s inspiration to start the winery was nurtured through many visits to the Napa Valley in his youth, where he spent time with his maternal uncle, André Tchelistcheff, the legendary Napa Valley winemaker known as the “Dean of American Winemaking.” Paul Golitzin joined his father as winemaker in 1992 and directs all aspects of vineyard management and winemaking. With a gifted palate and a no-compromise commitment to quality, Paul focused the winery’s attention on its greatest assets: the vineyards of the Columbia Valley. Quilceda Creek wines are an expression of three vineyards: Champoux, Galitzine, and Mach One. Paul’s vision catapulted the wines to a new level of excellence, resulting in some of the highest reviews and awards of any winery in the United States: seventeen 100-point scores from six different critics across Wine Advocate, Decanter and the International Wine Report. Additionally, Quilceda Creek was awarded three top 10 wines of the year in Wine Spectator, and Wine Enthusiast’s Best Cabernet of the Year.
For more information about Quilceda Creek, please visit quilcedacreek.com
