Leonetti Cellar
Walla Walla Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Walla Walla Valley, Oregon/Washington, USA
94 that pushes into 95. The perfect pair w/ Dutch Oven Roast.
Beautiful, dark currents & cassis. Ripe fruits with grey volcanic ash. My favorite Walla Walla producer of Cabernet. This 03 is at its peak.
Photos of Sofia and my tasting w/ Amy Figgins and their Vineyard Manager.
94 that pushes into 95. The perfect pair w/ Dutch Oven Roast.
Beautiful, dark currents & cassis. Ripe fruits with grey volcanic ash. My favorite Walla Walla producer of Cabernet. This 03 is at its peak.
Photos of Sofia and my tasting w/ Amy Figgins and their Vineyard Manager.
nose of damson plum, fig, black currant, smoke & graphite ~ ripe dark fruits, dark cacao powder and suede ~ after two hours this really begins to open up!
nose of damson plum, fig, black currant, smoke & graphite ~ ripe dark fruits, dark cacao powder and suede ~ after two hours this really begins to open up!
May 10th, 2023
The 2020 Merlot opens with a mentholated freshness, as crushed blueberries and dusty rose give way to hints of sweet baking spice. This is like pure silk on the palate. Elegant and plush in feel, with sweet red fruits offset by brilliant acidity and white pepper. The 2020 tapers off structured yet fresh, to almost trick me into wanting to drink it now. Violette pastille and black currant linger on, as this tapers off lightly structured and almost too easy to like. The 2020 is luxuriously soft in feel, and with an earlier appeal than usual. (Eric Guido, Vinous, March 2023)
The 2020 Merlot opens with a mentholated freshness, as crushed blueberries and dusty rose give way to hints of sweet baking spice. This is like pure silk on the palate. Elegant and plush in feel, with sweet red fruits offset by brilliant acidity and white pepper. The 2020 tapers off structured yet fresh, to almost trick me into wanting to drink it now. Violette pastille and black currant linger on, as this tapers off lightly structured and almost too easy to like. The 2020 is luxuriously soft in feel, and with an earlier appeal than usual. (Eric Guido, Vinous, March 2023)
Mar 3rd, 2023
Visiting friends who I know Iove this style of wine. Beautiful nose of red fruit and plums along with vanilla. In the mouth powerfully extracted fruit but very well-balanced with a good dollop of acid. Silky smooth tannins well contained with a 3 hour decant.Thanks @Jason Soloway
Visiting friends who I know Iove this style of wine. Beautiful nose of red fruit and plums along with vanilla. In the mouth powerfully extracted fruit but very well-balanced with a good dollop of acid. Silky smooth tannins well contained with a 3 hour decant.Thanks @Jason Soloway
Aug 26th, 2021I have worked with Master Somm’s that would call this Napa Cabernet. If I wasn’t so familiar with Leonetti, I would too!!!
Happy New Year! 🥳🎉🎊🍷🍾🥂
Crazy with Prime Rib, Au Gratins & caramelized cooked carrots. Stupidly good.
Still youthful. Shows its best in 8-10 years.
The things that gives it away that it’s from Walla Walla are; its round, juicy, grapiness, (with age), moist clay & particularly its volcanic ash.
12.31.2020
I have worked with Master Somm’s that would call this Napa Cabernet. If I wasn’t so familiar with Leonetti, I would too!!!
Happy New Year! 🥳🎉🎊🍷🍾🥂
Crazy with Prime Rib, Au Gratins & caramelized cooked carrots. Stupidly good.
Still youthful. Shows its best in 8-10 years.
The things that gives it away that it’s from Walla Walla are; its round, juicy, grapiness, (with age), moist clay & particularly its volcanic ash.
12.31.2020
Bright, saturated medium ruby. Captivating aromas of cassis, blackberry, graphite, licorice, exotic spices and lavender convey an impression of medicinal reserve. Enters the mouth thick, utterly seamless and suave, displaying alluring sweetness to its dark berry, bitter chocolate and spice flavors. This wonderfully rich yet juicy 2017 Cabernet finishes with broad, refined tannins that are already in balance with the wine's fruit. Just this side of voluptuous, this beauty may not have the sheer verve of the '16 but it will offer earlier fireworks. Very long and vinous on the palate-saturating aftertaste, with the tannins coating the entire palate and front teeth. The wine's spicy complexity should contribute to its early appeal but it would be a shame not to hold this Cabernet for at least a few years. (Stephen Tanzer, Vinous, December 2020)
Bright, saturated medium ruby. Captivating aromas of cassis, blackberry, graphite, licorice, exotic spices and lavender convey an impression of medicinal reserve. Enters the mouth thick, utterly seamless and suave, displaying alluring sweetness to its dark berry, bitter chocolate and spice flavors. This wonderfully rich yet juicy 2017 Cabernet finishes with broad, refined tannins that are already in balance with the wine's fruit. Just this side of voluptuous, this beauty may not have the sheer verve of the '16 but it will offer earlier fireworks. Very long and vinous on the palate-saturating aftertaste, with the tannins coating the entire palate and front teeth. The wine's spicy complexity should contribute to its early appeal but it would be a shame not to hold this Cabernet for at least a few years. (Stephen Tanzer, Vinous, December 2020)
Dec 3rd, 2020
Plenty of life left. Cocoa and dried cherries.
Plenty of life left. Cocoa and dried cherries.
Dec 11th, 2019
Drinking marvelously at seven years of age, the 2012 Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon is an extremely strong showing from this energetic vintage in Washington. One in the glass the wine unveils highly perfumed aromatics of pipe tobacco, leather, Turkish coffee and shades of creme de cassis. The mouthfeel and texture here delights the senses as the Cabernet impresses with rich dark fruit flavors with earthy undertones that are wrapped around with toasty oak. Decadent, yet highly elegant, this stunning wine will cellar well for another fifteen years. Drink 2019-2035- 95
Drinking marvelously at seven years of age, the 2012 Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon is an extremely strong showing from this energetic vintage in Washington. One in the glass the wine unveils highly perfumed aromatics of pipe tobacco, leather, Turkish coffee and shades of creme de cassis. The mouthfeel and texture here delights the senses as the Cabernet impresses with rich dark fruit flavors with earthy undertones that are wrapped around with toasty oak. Decadent, yet highly elegant, this stunning wine will cellar well for another fifteen years. Drink 2019-2035- 95
Apr 16th, 2019
Left Bank Bordeaux, likely blinded this is what is I'd tell you, yet a stunning bottle of beautifully aged WA Cabernet sits in front of me. We almost opened a Saint-Émilion (Right Bank) tonight, and so glad we opted for this particular bottle.
Nose has very tarry cherry, fresh violets, canned black olive, licorice, pencil lead (light), crushed blackberry and a touch of heat from the alcohol (14.6%).
Palate has ripe black currant, coffee, ripe blackberry, beautiful silky dark chocolate, light cedar box and fully resolved tannins. Drink now (2019) or hold for 2-3 more years.
77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Carmenere.
Paired this along side an experimental beef course. Usually with more expensive cuts we go with the tried and true preparation, but tonight we strayed. Grass fed beef ribeyes mostly cooked sous vide, then finished on the grill. We cooked to 125°F in the water bath, then hit the grill at 550°F for about 6-7 minutes. Perfection on the plate, beautifully medium-rare. The only downside is that the grill temps render the fat to moisten the beef, and do add some flavor, which wasn't fully achieved in this process. A little more grill time, next time around, won't do any harm.
Left Bank Bordeaux, likely blinded this is what is I'd tell you, yet a stunning bottle of beautifully aged WA Cabernet sits in front of me. We almost opened a Saint-Émilion (Right Bank) tonight, and so glad we opted for this particular bottle.
Nose has very tarry cherry, fresh violets, canned black olive, licorice, pencil lead (light), crushed blackberry and a touch of heat from the alcohol (14.6%).
Palate has ripe black currant, coffee, ripe blackberry, beautiful silky dark chocolate, light cedar box and fully resolved tannins. Drink now (2019) or hold for 2-3 more years.
77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Carmenere.
Paired this along side an experimental beef course. Usually with more expensive cuts we go with the tried and true preparation, but tonight we strayed. Grass fed beef ribeyes mostly cooked sous vide, then finished on the grill. We cooked to 125°F in the water bath, then hit the grill at 550°F for about 6-7 minutes. Perfection on the plate, beautifully medium-rare. The only downside is that the grill temps render the fat to moisten the beef, and do add some flavor, which wasn't fully achieved in this process. A little more grill time, next time around, won't do any harm.
Classic and Bordeaux-like but with unmistakably new world sweet black fruit. Earth, mocha and cassis complete the package. Tannins fully resolved. Won’t hold forever but in a great place now
Classic and Bordeaux-like but with unmistakably new world sweet black fruit. Earth, mocha and cassis complete the package. Tannins fully resolved. Won’t hold forever but in a great place now
2 people found it helpfulSep 1st, 2018