A Peek Behind the Label: Chaleur Estate & Harrison Hill

With the 2019 vintage release, DeLille will be showcasing a new label design for two of our founding wines, Chaleur Estate and Harrison Hill, as well as our new old-vine Sauvignon Blanc, Marguerite.  Chaleur Estate and Harrison Hill are both left bank Bordeaux-style blends, essentially have the same varietal breakdown of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, but from two very distinct AVAs: Red Mountain and Snipes Mountain.  Marguerite was first crafted in 2018 after extensive barrel and bottle aging, and the 2019 vintage will be available later this spring. The new label design gives credence to these rare and limited offerings.  

Old Legacy Lineup                                                                      New Legacy Lineup

At the top of the label is Delille’s new crest. 

The Lion: a tribute to Bordeaux.

The lion is moving forward but also looking back, symbolizing DeLille’s “always seeking” and moving to the future while paying tribute to the path and people that got us to where we are today. This Lion is also on the second floor of DeLille’s new tasting room, and is aptly named Charlemagne, or “Charles the Great” after founder Charles Lill.

The Cinquefoil: Joy, Community, Plenty.

The cinquefoil highlights what the team at DeLille believes to be the ultimate end or result desire of our winemaking efforts – the joy of sharing it together.  This symbol is seen in multiple places throughout DeLille’s tasting room, including in the center of the dancers at the end of the “Alchemy Wall” on the first floor that highlights the journey of wine from soil to celebration, as well as on Charlemagne’s cloak on the second floor.

The Book: Learning, Seeking and Discovery.

The book highlights the winery’s endless desire for exploration, discovery and seeking new things – from vineyard sites to new blends or rare lots.  

On the crest on the Marguerite label, the lower icons are reversed.  The flower (cinquefoil) is white instead of gold.  This small detail of distinction was added for fun and symbolism, with the Marguerite meaning tied to a white daisy.

On Chaleur Estate and Harrison Hill, the original Chateau (the winery’s founding site that used to be at the top of the label), is watermarked behind the name.  On the Marguerite label, daisies adorn the background in a similar silhouette to the Chateau.  While Marguerite is a newer wine, it is symbolic of some of the oldest Sauvignon Blanc vines in Washington State and also the foundation upon which Chaleur Blanc was crafted.  All three of these wines are founding elements of DeLille’s focus to create world-class wines from some of the oldest vineyard sites in the state.

Learn more about these acclaimed wines: 

• 2019 Chaleur Estate
• 2019 Harrison Hill
• 2018 Marguerite

DeLille Cellars’ inaugural wine first crafted in 1992, Chaleur Estate marks the foundation on which the winery has built its craft of blending Washington State fruit in the traditional style. This wine is a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant blend of Bordeaux varietals, with a focus on Red Mountain vineyards. The result is a wine of depth, complexity, focus and elegance that personifies the French word for warmth, chaleur. The 2019 vintage is now available.

In 1994, DeLille Cellars was fortunate to acquire the rights to Harrison Hill vineyard in the Snipes Mountain AVA, a 4.9 acres site which has the second oldest Cabernet Sauvignon vines in the state.  A Bordeaux-style blend that mirrors the Chaleur Estate Red Mountain blend in varietal breakdown, this wine is labeled after the vineyard’s namesake – Harrison Hill. Over the past five decades, the state’s second-oldest Cabernet vines have matured gracefully while producing progressively limited yields. This slow, elegant maturation is a compelling expression of what it means to be a terroir-driven wine. The 2019 vintage is now available.

Jason Gorski, DeLille’s Director of Winemaking and Viticulture, had a vision to craft an exceptional Sauvignon Blanc from some of Washington’s oldest vines. DeLille Cellars has crafted Sauvignon Blanc for over a quarter-century, traditionally aging the wines for six months in barrel. For Marguerite, the very best wines are selected to remain in barrel for an additional, then rested in bottle another year before release.  The Marguerite daisy, a flower symbolizing devotion and patience, lends its name to this cuvée.   The 2018 vintage is currently available, and the 2019 vintage will release this spring.