D2 2000
Tasting Notes:
Big jammy, ripe aromas of blackberries, blueberries and toasty vanilla oak spices jump right out of the glass. The flavors combine a blast of fresh ripe berries with white pepper, ripe tannins and plush Merlot middle flavors. Good concentration and fresh vibrant fruit is the key to this wine.
Varietal Blend:
Merlot 51%
Cabernet Sauvignon 30%
Cabernet Franc 17%
Petite Verdot 2%
Vineyard Breakdown:
Klipsun Merlot 13%*
Ciel du Cheval Cabernet Sauvignon 9%*
Portteus Merlot 12%
Harrison Hill Cabernet Sauvignon5%
Red Willow Merlot 9%
Sheridan Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon 2%
Ciel du Cheval Merlot 8%*
Fred Artz Cabernet Franc 8%*
Boushey Merlot 6%
Ciel du Cheval Cabernet Franc 8%*
Harrison Hill Merlot 3%
Harrison Hill Cabernet Franc 1%
Portteus Cabernet Sauvignon 14%
Ciel du Cheval Petite Verdot 2%*
*48% Red Mountain AVA
Awards & Acclaim:
91 pts. The Wine News (Vintage 2000)
This is the "second" wine at DeLILLE, but at this stage it is precocious and performing as well or better than the Chaleur. Elegant and complex with scents and flavors of dry red fruit and toasty oak imbued with sensuous tannins.
90 pts. Harvey Steiman, Wine Spectator (Vintage 2000)
Rich in texture, with beautifully focused cherry and berry flavors at the core, shaded with spice, chocolate and leather notes, all melding nicely on the lingering finish. Tannins are refined. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
89 pts. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Vintage 2000)
Medium-bodied, silky-textured, and deep, this is an excellent effort that is loaded with ripe black fruits as well as fresh sweet herbs. Drink it over the next 4-5 years.
