Chris Upchurch, winemaker, talks wine

If I told you that one of the most esteemed wineries in Washington state, rather the United States, was an idea hatched on a cocktail napkin many years ago, wouldn’t that make you love it all the more?  Many accolades have been bestowed upon DeLille’s wines, and while I’ve certainly been known to wax verbose about a big red or two in my day, for the purposes of this entry I’m going to leave that to Robert Parker and the rest of the big boys.  Instead, I’m going to give you a little insight into the history of this award-winning wine Chateau situated on a humble hill in the heart of Woodinville wine country. 

DeLille Estate

The great success story that is DeLille winery mirrors that of the life of Charles Lill, the beloved granddaddy co-founder of DeLille who passed away in 2008.  By all accounts, Charles Lill was a real gentleman and a hard worker throughout his topsy turvy life.  A descendant of Huguenots who fled persecution in France during the 17th Century, Lill ended up in a then-German controlled region of what is now called the Czech Republic.  During World War II, Lill became a Luftwaffe pilot, and ended up in the hands of the Soviets, confined to a Russian prison camp. 

He was treated with slightly more deference than his compatriots since he wore the Luftwaffe uniform, thus he enjoyed the special privilege of cooking for the Russian officers.  This position gave him the freedom to recognize an opportunity to flee the camp when he boarded a passing Swiss train one day while harvesting potatoes for the officers’ meals.  He escaped to Switzerland, and post-war, found himself in Munich where we worked as a statistician for the US government.  He was able to save just enough money to secure passage to Vancouver BC and eventually Seattle, albeit with only $20 in his pocket. 

He began rebuilding the great legacy bestowed upon him as a descendant of the DeLille family the second his feet hit the Seattle pavement as an insurance salesman.  Over the centuries, his DeLille family ancestors were hit with a series of life-shattering hardships, including losing land that was once a winery in a territorial dispute. They are obviously of hearty stock; Charles Lill proved yet again that a DeLille phoenix can rise from the ashes of war and strife, and in this case make some damn fine wine.  Lill’s hard work for decades allowed him to retire from business in the early 1990’s, however his son and a couple of friends had grand plans for Lill’s golden years. 

Jay Soloff and Chris Upchurch

Jay Soloff, Chris Upchurch and Charles’ son Greg Lill had hatched a plan on a cocktail napkin to turn Charles Lill’s rustic slice of the American dream perched on a hill in Woodinville into a world-class winery, and Greg presented Charles with the idea on a family vacation in Hawaii.  Luckily for the three, now owners of DeLille, and for the rest of us who regularly enjoy their wines, Charles Lill loved the idea, albeit with one stipulation.  He wanted the winery to take his ancestral name, both to honor the winning spirit of the past, and to leave a legacy his progeny could be proud of for years to come.  Thus, DeLille Winery was borne.

Grounds of the estate Charles Lill created

Chris Upchurch is the winemaker, and since he cut his teeth on Bordeaux-style reds, he wanted to bring that approach to Washington winemaking.  By most accounts, DeLille was the fourth winery to set up shop in Woodinville, and it’s now considered among the very best, if not the best in the state.  While other longstanding wine houses in the area have opted for commercialization and commoditization with their wines, DeLille has kept things fairly small and classy.  They buy new oak barrels every year in which to age their wines, as Upchurch believes that to reuse oak is akin to a cup of tea with a used tea bag.  At upwards of $1000 per barrel, it’s easy to understand why you may end up paying a bit more for their product than some of the neighboring wines down the hill. It’s certainly worth it, though, as you’re guaranteed consistent quality in every bottle, which is more than I can say for some Chateau’s in the vicinity that have adopted the cheap and easy approach. 

Doyenne label painting

I had the great privilege to attend a release event at DeLille recently, and as usual, the wines were spectacular.  Upchurch maintains a firm following behind his Bordeaux-style wines, of which DeLille currently produces five.  He has gained almost equal notoriety, however, for the wines that fall under the Doyenne and Grand Ciel labels as well.  One to watch for next spring- the brand new Rosé. Upchurch won’t tackle anything he can’t make the very best, which is why you won’t see him trying to cultivate Sauternes out of our new-world Washington soil just yet.  Despite its newness, the rosé is something Upchurch has mastered so completely that it sold out completely before it even made it to market last spring.  Better get your hands on some next spring before it meets a similar fate! 

I was also struck at the tasting by how convivial and downright welcoming each and every one of the folks I met at DeLille was.  Despite being one of the most established cult wineries in the country, the DeLille posse has not gotten a bit too big for its britches.  Although the three active partners, Soloff, Upchurch and Lill (now Charles’ daughter Pat Lill Jorgenson is also a shareholder/partner) are not related by blood, DeLille is still very much a family affair.  Jay Soloff was kind enough to give us the grounds tour despite it being a chill November day. The way he waxed romantic about the history of both the estate and Chateau itself as well as DeLille Wines made it apparent that his vested interest lies far deeper than in his pocketbook. 

Jay Soloff and his lovely lady Catherine

If you have the opportunity to head out to the DeLille Chateau for an event, by no means should you pass it up.  Alternatively, if you’re looking for a one-stop shop for some lush, elegant holiday wine, visit their tasting room called the Carriage House, opened from 11-4:30 daily.