DeLille Cellars is a winery located in Woodinville, Washington, United States. It is regarded as a top American producer of Bordeaux-style blends and is considered a principal influence in establishing Washington State as a premier viticultural region.
History
DeLille Cellars was founded in 1992 by Chris Upchurch, Jay A. Soloff, Greg Lill, and his father Charles Lill. The name "DeLille" was chosen to honor the Lill family's heritage; Greg Lill's ancestor Julius DeLille was a Huguenot who fled the French city of Lille to escape religious persecution and started a winery and brewery in what is now the Czech Republic in 1574.
The winery's first vintage was in 1994, producing two wines: Chaleur Estate and D2 (a "Deuxieme" or second wine, following Bordeaux tradition). Both received high scores from Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar (93 and 90, respectively). David Lake, a Master of Wine and head winemaker at Columbia Winery, served as a consultant to DeLille for its first decade.
In 1994, DeLille acquired the rights to Harrison Hill Vineyard in the Snipes Mountain AVA, home to some of the oldest Cabernet Sauvignon vines in Washington State (now over 50 years old). In 1995, the winery produced its first white Bordeaux-style blend, Chaleur Estate Blanc (now called Chaleur Blanc), a barrel-fermented blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon.
Recognition and Accolades
DeLille Cellars was one of the first five wineries in Washington to receive Robert Parker's 5-star excellence rating. Robert Parker also declared DeLille to be "The Lafite Rothschild of Washington State." The winery has received over 900 individual 90+ ratings from international critics, numerous placements on Top 100 lists, and five Wine & Spirits Top 100 Wineries of the World accolades (2017–2020 and 2022). The Restaurant at DeLille Cellars has been named a Top 10 Winery Restaurant in America by USA TODAY and has received Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence (2023, 2024, 2025).
Winemaking and Vineyards
DeLille Cellars focuses on Bordeaux-style blends and also produces Rhône-style wines. The winery's philosophy is built on the principle that "all good blends transcend the sum of their individual parts," guided by a company ethos of "always seeking" continuous improvement.
The winemaking team sources grapes from premier Washington vineyards, with a focus on the Red Mountain AVA. Key vineyard sources include: Grand Ciel (the winery's estate vineyard on Red Mountain), Ciel du Cheval, Upchurch, Red Willow, Sagemoor, Klipsun, Boushey, DuBrul, Harrison Hill, and Discovery. The winery's portfolio includes over 20 wines, including Bordeaux-style red blends (Chaleur Estate, D2, Harrison Hill, Four Flags), white blends (Chaleur Blanc), and single-varietal wines.
Operations and Locations
In 2019, DeLille Cellars moved its production and operations to the Old Redhook Brewery building in Woodinville, Washington, where it established a three-story tasting room and The Restaurant at DeLille Cellars. The winery also operates DeLille En Ville, a location in Seattle's University Village offering French-inspired cuisine and wine.
Winemaking Team
Jason Gorski joined DeLille Cellars in 2011 as lead winemaker under Chris Upchurch and became Director of Winemaking and Viticulture in 2019. Chris Upchurch, one of the founders, served as the original winemaker.
