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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 94.6 pts. and median of 95 pts. in 67 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by SnobNouveau on 12/20/2023 & rated 94 points: Gorgeous. Don’t hold much longer. 90 minute decant minimum (706 views) | | | Tasted by tedcholl on 1/29/2023 & rated 94 points: New Producer to me and I've liked Cab Sauv wines from Walla Walla. Leonetti is one of Walla Walla's pioneering wine producers, established in 1977. If I had drank this blind I would have guessed a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from a cult Producer. What stood out to me was the intensity, depth, and length of the rich flavors of blackberry, cassis, black cherry, sweet plum, and graphite. At 15 yrs this wine still drinking a little on the young side with 10-15 years ahead of it. (1280 views) | | | Tasted by jviz on 7/11/2022 & rated 94 points: Wow. This was insanely good. Compact and cool fruited. Deep, rich without confection. Long finish. Mostly resolced but not a to. Of tertiary development as yet.. You could have convinced me it was a Pichon Lalande from the same year. (1912 views) | | | Tasted by danielbleier on 5/21/2022 & rated 97 points: consistent with notes of 1/1/2019 (1670 views) | | | Tasted by gesusser on 3/6/2022 & rated 94 points: Drank at home with griiled BBQ prime baby back ribs.
Long decant helped us enjoy this most excellent bottle.
Been 3 years since last bottle and I believe this has years to go (1617 views) | | | Tasted by SnobNouveau on 1/8/2022 & rated 96 points: Decanted 2 hours, huge nose with tons of complexity and layered notes lasting 25 seconds after swallowing. Drinking perfectly right now. Brought to a tasting night with friends and it was the clear star of the evening. Finished the last glass around 4 hours after opening and it had flattened out a ton, so timing matters with this one. (1610 views) | | | Tasted by bring me my wine on 2/14/2021 & rated 98 points: Phenomenal. Smooth. Relaxed tanin structure. (1968 views) | | | Tasted by Gas Station Wine Guy on 10/25/2020 & rated 95 points: Wow was this good! Black & red fruits with cassis, some earthy notes with well integrated tannins & medium acidity. This could still use a few years for added complexity. (1731 views) | | | Tasted by billcow on 10/25/2020 & rated 84 points: Strong aroma of artificial black fruits and not much else. Overpowering blackcurrant reminiscent of Ribena. None of the minty dill complexity normally associated with this wonderful producer. The finish was long but all it consisted of was artificial blackcurrant. Decant was 2 hours. Tasted like a $15 cab not a $150 wine. Bummer! (1796 views) | | | Tasted by rpenn77 on 5/3/2020 & rated 94 points: Very fruit forward with soft tannins. Elegant with dark fruit notes. (1988 views) | | | Tasted by Janstan on 12/31/2019 & rated 90 points: Perhaps the alcohol will be more integrated in a few years but too hoist right now. Nice dark fruits. Went well with Mustard/herb crusted tenderloin (2067 views) | | | Tasted by gesusser on 12/23/2019 & rated 94 points: Decanted one hour. Still has time to age. excellent with ossobuco (1606 views) | | | Tasted by RJ&JJ on 4/30/2019 & rated 96 points: Drinking superbly well right now... (2063 views) | | | Tasted by MAXIMUM SATISFACTION on 3/30/2019 & rated 96 points: Decanted for 1-2 hours (tons of sediment). One of the best Washington wines I’ve had. Very precise red fruit followed by chalky cassis, sweet tobacco and earth. Has at least 2-3 years more to go at peak but will make it 10 plus. (2381 views) | | | Tasted by Sebacca on 3/6/2019 & rated 96 points: Drank at David Bell’s wine tasting (2004 views) | | | Tasted by danielbleier on 1/1/2019 & rated 97 points: Even better than I remembered, this has almost perfect balance, black currant, blackberry, sweet spice, grilled herb and licorice come together seamlessly. (1924 views) | | | Tasted by Sebacca on 11/16/2018 & rated 96 points: Drank on Nov. 11th 2018 our first night in the condo after returning to St. John's. (1947 views) | | | Tasted by skifree on 5/22/2018 & rated 92 points: Final bottle of the 2008, think this was still very primary though lots of ripe fruit, cassis, and spice to enjoy. Had not budged in a year. (2423 views) | | | Tasted by Vailman on 4/20/2017 & rated 93 points: Profound bouquet upon opening, garnet to the edge, aromas of dark cherry, beautifully balanced palate. One hour decant lead to a superbly balanced, fruit forward, cabernet based liter of liquid gold. (3274 views) | | | Tasted by skifree on 2/15/2017 & rated 93 points: Lots of cassis and espresso in this, rich mouthfeel, good spice and tannins to show off its WA roots. Softened a bit on day 2. This bottle threw a lot of sediment, both in the bottle and in the decanter. Another 2008 WA wine strutting its stuff. (3230 views) | | | Tasted by austinbeeman- austinbeeman.com on 1/28/2017 & rated 95 points: A beautiful and richly warming red wine. // Charred fat and smoke give way to warm blackberry compote. Like a slow cooked lamb shank, age has congealed this wine down to its essence. Dark jelly, rich alcohol and intensity. $150 retail. (3448 views) | | | Tasted by jkwoodward on 7/27/2016 & rated 94 points: Well integrated after 3 hr decant. Black fruit and cassis. Very nice. (3720 views) | | | Tasted by pugblanc on 7/15/2016 & rated 94 points: Rasberry Cherry strawberry vanilla. Deep intensity . Bright and balanced. Such a nice mix of acid fruit tannins and body. Licorice ( red and black). Rasberry Boston cream pie. Superb. Black pepper and spice. (3051 views) | | | Tasted by thatrick on 11/12/2015 & rated 96 points: opened right after trying the 2013 Schrader RBS that just arrived and wow it held it's own - really nice wine (3543 views) | | | Tasted by danielbleier on 10/2/2015 & rated 95 points: Wine of the weekend...Lovely flavors of blackberry and cherry, cigar box and forest floor. Not heavy nor liquor like, this has nice minerality that keep it lively. Seems very ready. (2924 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Eric Guido
Vinous, Making History: 21 Vintages of Leonetti’s Red Wine Reserve (Oct 2023) (10/1/2023)
(Leonetti Cellar Red Wine Reserve Washington Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, November/December 2011, IWC Issue #159
(Leonetti Cellars Reserve Red Wine Walla Walla Valley) Subscribe to see review text. | By Sean Sullivan
Washington Wine Report (9/21/2011)
(Leonetti Cellar Reserve Red Wine Walla Walla Valley) Aromatically brooding with cassis, black cherry, coffee grounds, red fruit, licorice, and very high toned herbal notes. Locked up extremely tightly at present, this wine only reveals itself after several days of being open. On the palate, loaded full of fresh red and black fruit flavors and a tart, cranberry-filled finish. Tannins are extremely polished and the fruit flavors are supple. A multiple swallow wine that is simultaneously rich and sophisticated. Will age gracefully indefinitely. Give at least 3 years but patience will be rewarded with extended cellaring. 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petit Verdot, 11% Merlot, and 9% Cabernet Franc. Mill Creek Upland, Loess, Seven Hills, and Leonetti Old Block. Aged 23 months in new and neutral French oak. 14.7% alcohol. 1,131 cases produced. Sample provided by winery. ***** points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous and Washington Wine Report. (manage subscription channels) |
| Leonetti Cellar Producer website
For more than 30 years, the Figgins Family has been producing wines of consistently high quality at Leonetti Cellar, which was bonded in 1977 by Founders Gary and Nancy Figgins. What started as Gary’s vision to make world-class wines in Walla Walla has turned out to be a true American success story. Today, Leonetti Cellar produces some of the most sought after wines in the world.Red Bordeaux BlendRed Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and rarely Carménère.Today Carménère is rarely used, with Château Clerc Milon, a fifth growth Bordeaux, being one of the few to still retain Carménère vines. As of July 2019, Bordeaux wineries authorized the use of four new red grapes to combat temperature increases in Bordeaux. These newly approved grapes are Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa.
Wineries all over the world aspire to making wines in a Bordeaux style. In 1988, a group of American vintners formed The Meritage Association to identify wines made in this way. Although most Meritage wines come from California, there are members of the Meritage Association in 18 states and five other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico.Reserve The Wine News | Wine Country This Week | Wine Lover's PageUSAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.Washington Washington Wine Commission | Credit to Washingtonwine.org for this article
Washington Wine
Washington State is a premium wine producing region located in the northwest corner of the United States. Although a relatively young wine industry, it is now the nation's second largest wine producer and is ranked among the world's top wine regions. Washington wines are found nationally in all 50 states and internationally in more than 40 countries.
Wineries
With 30,000+ acres planted, the state has ideal geography and conditions for growing premium vinifera wine grapes. Primarily grown on their own root stocks, the vines produce grapes of consistent quality, resulting in strong vintages year after year. While its focus is on Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, the region also produces a wide range of other spectacular whites and reds.
Growers
Winemakers from all over the world have chosen to establish themselves in Washington, where they can create wines reflecting this region's unique characteristics. Their hand-crafted wines are receiving wide acclaim from critics regionally, nationally and internationally for their consistently high quality. Many of them have received scores of 90 and above from the major wine media. Overall this is a higher percentage than other leading wine regions.
Regions
As the state's fourth largest fruit crop, the Washington wine industry is an important contributor to the long-term preservation of Washington agriculture. The industry is committed to sustainable agricultural practices and conservation of water resources.
Washington State is a premium wine producing region located in the northwest corner of the United States. Although a relatively young wine industry, it is now the nation's second largest wine producer and is ranked among the world's top wine regions. Washington wines are found nationally in all 50 states and internationally in more than 40 countries.
Varieties
Washington produces more than 20 wine grape varieties - a ratio of 56 percent white to 44 percent red. As the industry matures and experiments, it finds many grape varieties that thrive throughout Washington's microclimates. There are more than 16,000 vineyard acres of red wine varieties statewide.
History & Vintages
Washington's wine future is limitless. As consumers discover the quality of Washington wines, demand continues to grow nationally and internationally. New acreage and wine varietals are being planted and new wineries are opening at a remarkable pace. Washington State is recognized as a premium viticultural region around the world.
State Facts
Washington's wine industry generates more than $3 billion to the state economy. It employs more than 14,000 people, directly and indirectly, with projections to add nearly 2,000 more jobs by 2006. In terms of tax revenues accrued to the state and federal government, wine grapes are among the highest tax generators of any agricultural crops. Furthermore, Washington wine tourism attracts nearly two million visitors annually contributing to the positive growth of local and regional economies.
Washington State - the perfect climate for wine = ideal growing conditions, quality wines, business innovation, lifestyle, and social responsibility. All are key elements of this world-class wine industry.
Vintages
"2008 and even more so 2010 and 2011 were cool, even cold vintages (think: 2002 in the Barossa) without the extreme ripeness, extract and higher alcohol that had become the norm in the state’s post 1995 world. 2008 was manageable but the duo of 2010/2011 nearly caused a “great depression” in Washington State." - Jon RimmermanColumbia Valley Columbia Cascade Winery Association
The Columbia Valley AVA lies mostly in Washington state, with a small section in Oregon. The Cascade Range forms its western boundary with the Palouse regions bordering the area to the east. To the north, the Okanogan National Forest forms a border with the AVA and Canada. It encompasses the valleys formed by the Columbia River and its tributaries, including the Walla Walla River, the Snake River, and the Yakima River. The Columbia valley stretches between the 46th parallel and 47th parallel which puts it in line with the well known French wine growing regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy. The northern latitude gives the areas two more hours of additional daylight during the summer growing season than wine regions of California receive. The volcanic and sandy loam soil of the valley offers good drainage and is poor in nutrients, ideal in forcing the vine to concentrate its resources into the grape clusters.Walla Walla ValleyThe name translates as easily as it rolls off the tongue: Walla Walla. Many Waters. To the earliest Native tribes, the many waters came from the nearby Blue Mountains and gathered to form the Walla Walla River on its way to join the Columbia to the west. The waters flowed first; however, into a fair-sized Valley carved in the mountain's foothills, and bordered in part by the terrain of what is known as the Columbia Plateau. Tribal members knew the Valley's generally milder climate could maintain their people in winter villages. There were lush wild grasses which could sustain horses and attract game from the winter snows of the nearby Blues, or from the giant high plateau that becomes desolate and dangerous during the cold season. The rolling terrain and numerous watersheds offered protection from nature and other hazards of the day. Here the water was plentiful and full of fish and seldom froze, even in the coldest years. The meadows were wonderful places to gather with other people to trade, compete and celebrate treaties. Compared to the region around them, the Walla Walla Valley was a safe refuge from the treacherous conditions which can often be found during the winter for hundreds of miles around. In this unique growing region, most of the earliest records of grapes and winemaking reference the Italians who had immigrated here in the mid to late 1800's and who brought with them their tradition of growing, making and drinking wine. Vines with these origins still exist in the Valley today. The first post-prohibition winery was Blue Mountain Vineyards. It was bonded in 1950 by the Pesciallo family where they produced Black Prince and other Italian varietal wines for a period of several years before succumbing to economics and climate. To the wine world of today, Walla Walla has become know for the quality and style of its red wines, especially Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with Syrah gaining notoriety in recent years. In the1970's, the pioneers of today's wine community began to think similar thoughts: that the Walla Walla Valley, with its long history of fruit growing, moderate climate, wine-making heritage, and interesting terrain might just be a place to grow vines and make wine on a commercial scale. These pioneers of the region applied for and received approval of the Walla Walla Valley as a unique American Viticultural Area (AVA) in 1984. It was the third in Washington State and also includes a portion of land in Oregon. In the time leading to the recognition of the appellation, four wineries had been bonded starting with Leonetti Cellar, and shortly thereafter, Woodward Canyon. L'Ecole Nº 41 and Waterbrook soon followed. In addition to the smaller vineyards that were being planted, the Valley's first large-scale, commercial vineyard Seven Hills was established. By the time the BATF recognized the Walla Walla Valley AVA, the Valley was beginning to gain attention from within the wine industry, as well as attracting publicity from journalists and media outside the region. The foundation for today’s industry had been laid and the benchmark for quality had been set. In addition, fruit from the area was now being harvested and a baseline for understanding the local growing conditions was being constructed. Every few years another winery would join the fold and take up the challenge of producing the highest quality wine and the growing of outstanding fruit. Seven Hills Winery and Patrick M. Paul each got their start during this time. More vines were added, although acreage increases were small each year. The industry was small and everyone knew everyone else involved, while the welcome mat remained out for any newcomers. Growers and winemakers alike regularly shared time in the cellar or at the table and together learned more about wines and vines. By 1990 there were just six wineries and the Valley's grape acreage stood at perhaps 100 acres. The total collective production of wine was microscopic by any measure, but it was the quality that was being noticed by many inside and outside the trade. As the tiny trickle of wine produced in the Walla Walla AVA began to flow to the outside world, a "wine renaissance" was beginning to happen globally. The Pacific Northwest had staked a claim in this new wine world and as people learned about the region, they also began to hear about Walla Walla. This interest spread rapidly to those with Walla Walla connections. The early 1990s saw the planting of more vines and the establishment of another large-scale vineyard, Pepper Bridge. At the same time, a group of local investors, working closely with the Napa based Chalone Wine group, laid the foundation for Canoe Ridge Vineyard, the Valley's first winery supported in part by a major outside investor. As the industry has grown, many new wineries have gotten their start in the arms of an established winery. Waterbrook Winery's modern production facility started the trend, sharing space, equipment, and any help needed. Other wineries also adopted “extra guests,” a practice that has helped form close, personal relationships throughout the local industry. By the turn of the new century, the Walla Walla Valley wine industry had 22 wineries and 800 acres of grapes. In the year 2000 the AVA had been expanded back to the original boundaries proposed in the1984 application. The year 2000 also saw the formation of the Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance with 100% of the Valley's wineries and 98% of the Valley's planted acreage represented. Today, more than 60 Walla Walla Valley wineries and more than 1,200 acres of Walla Walla Valley grapes contribute to the ever growing, international acclaim garnered by the wines of this newly-emerging region of Washington State. |
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