Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon 08
Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon 08 -
Seductive color saturation to the rim. The nose on the Cabernet Sauvignon captures what makes this one of the world's finest wine grapes—it is an exotic array of spices, dried herbs, lavender, charcuterie, mocha, cassis, vanilla, and ripe red and black fruits. In the very distant background there is a lovely note of mint. The wine has incredible density, with very ripe tannin that is suave on the palate. The finish is ultra long and pleasant. This wine is distinctively Walla Walla and why our valley is becoming an international focal point for Cabernet.
Previous Vintage Tasting Notes
2007 Vintage Tasting Notes
Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon 07 - Dense saturated color. The initial nose is blueberry compote, blackberries, and a whiff of pine resin and sawdust behind the class Cabernet note of cassis.
Spring 2007 is regarded in Washington as a monumental vintage. It was just a perfect vintage cover to cover, with tiny, intense berries. Our Cabernet is very dark to the rim and has a complex aroma of cinnamon , red and black fruits, Christmas spices nutmeg, coffee, and a hint of gun powder. On the palate it has very long, fine-grained, slightly chalky tannins, perfect acid and balance, and a beautiful glycerin feeling that gives it tremendous length in its finish. - the winery
As I tasted the wine over several days, the wine changes dramatically, with additional layers of aeromas, including tobacco, more black fruits, and vanilla reveailing themselves. The palate of this wine is gorgeous, with a lust, mouth-coating texture.
The wine finishes with an endless glycerin sweetness for which Leonetti wines are known. - the winemaker
2006 Vintage Tasting Notes
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 95 points:
The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon contains 14% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Malbec. Deep crimson-colored, it displays a captivating bouquet of pain grille, tobacco, pencil lead, incense, black currant, and blackberry liqueur. Layered and opulent on the palate, it has tons of succulent black fruit, ripe tannin, impeccable balance, and an exceptionally lengthy finish. It will evolve for another 5-7 years and drink well through 2026.
Gary Figgins and son, Chris, keep tweaking things in the vineyards and cellar as they move toward totally biodynamic farming. As usual, their wines are benchmarks against which others must be measured.
Wine Press NW says: "Washington's most-sought-after wine shows how well it can perform in a blind tasting with big oak and fruit aromas with rich flavors of blackberries and chocolate. The beautiful balance of fruit, acidity and tannin make this a world-class wine.
