Enjoyed for Sunday dinner. PnP, then evolved in the glass for 3 hours. Still young in color, but mellow and mature on the palate. Full of rich dark fruit and soft tannins, the finish didn't want to stop, and neither did I want to stop drinking it. This wine was in great shape and probably has at least 3-5 more years at this stage. I don't see it improving from here, so feel free to drink up. It's a winner!
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Wow. Really nice. Deep garnet with a little bricking. Rich plum, blackberries, dark fruit, dark chocolate, and all flavor still prominent / bright. Tannins are well-integrated. Full mouthfeel and long finish. Nice acidity matches very well with the ribeyes.
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2001 marked my enrollment into the Institute for Enology and Viticulture in Walla Walla. It was the first year I tasted Leonetti, the following year the Figgins family awarded me a scholarship. To revisit this wine brings back memories—the 2001 Reserve is an opulent blend of 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, and 7.5% Cabernet Franc. This bottle displayed mature aromas of plums, saddle leather, mahogany wood, sweet tobacco, and wood spice. Silky and round, with ripe, supple tannins and a protracted finish. 13.9% ABV
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Deep garnet in color. Currents, raspberry, mocha on nose and palate. silky smooth and mature. While the fruit is present and ripe, it is not overwhelmingly jammy. Medium density and medium to long finish. An absolute jewel to drink and share. Wish I had a case of this sitting in my cellar! Makes you understand why people love Washington State Cab if you drink this wine!
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From Coravin. Gave it more time in the glass and definitely better than my last note. Mocha, some wood and dark fruits right away. Deep, rich and a mouthfeel like velvet. Beautiful nose. In its sweet spot but will stay there for years.
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Dark cherries and some cranberries but it has completely melded together so nothing stands out. Tannins in check but still some there. A very good wine. None of the complex secondary flavors you get in some other old wines but that doesn't mean it is not good in its own right. The finish is a little thin.
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Dense and chewy, dried cherry, strawberry and cranberry fruit flavors, mild tannins and a hint of sweet oak mid-palate, slightly dry with a short finish. Decanted for 90 minutes. This bottle was showing an older profile than the one we had Nov 2014.
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Dark red with garnet edge; strawberry rhubarb nose; penetrating black cherry and blackberry fruit, really robust with some alcohol push on the lingering finish. We decanted this for 2 hours and consumed it over the next 2.5, and it just kept getting better as it opened up.
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Medium red-garnet color, pale-edged. Huge nose, cherry-berry fruit, expresso, celeriac, fresh fully synthetic motor oil. On arrival, negligible tannin and low acidity; silky body. Eyes closed, I'd have pegged this for a Shafer Hillside Select cabernet of similar age. Plump and rich, easy drinking, not especially complex, but oh so enjoyable. Bottle #1 of one, from magnum.
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Third bottle of the evening, after a Cotes and a Syrah. Wish I had this earliers as I think my palate was a little blown out at that point, but was silky, a great taste and boquet, lingering finish. Very good!
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Exceptional wine! Drinking beautifully right now, very elegant, layered and complex. Similar to previous tasting notes but I was also getting a lot of candied red cherry this time. Beautiful wine.
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Wednesday Night Blind - January 2010 (Peter Pratt's Inn): This wine was initially very primary and didn't have a lot of depth to it, lots of oak on first taste as well. It began to integrate nicely and had a silky smooth texture, big rich fruit, fantastic sense of balance and a long finish. This would have benefited from some decanting as well. I really like it though and thought it was more feminine than the straight Merlot that followed.
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Possibly the best wine of 2009. Decanted for 2 hours, just incredible. Fantastic flavors of black currant, blueberry, red plum and licorice with velvety tannins and a finish that lasted over a minute.
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Drank a bottle last night at the Manny's in Miami Beach. The reserve followed a nice bottle of Casa Piena. After an hour of decanting the Leonetti opened nicely and had a lite but elegant nose. And had a medium to medium large body to it. I paired it with the bone in filet and was very please. It complimented the steak nicely. I'm glad I've held this wine until now. I believe it will age well into the future.
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Typical Leo on the nose, heavy vanilla and leather. Nose softened after about an hour in the decanter. Palate brings forward crushed sour cherry, red fruit, sugared plums. finish is good, is clean and does linger for about 45 seconds. I'd drink again,l but instead of having it alone, I'd like to have it with a fat rare steak!
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1/19/2020 - Winning_Wines Likes this wine: 93 Points
Enjoyed for Sunday dinner. PnP, then evolved in the glass for 3 hours. Still young in color, but mellow and mature on the palate. Full of rich dark fruit and soft tannins, the finish didn't want to stop, and neither did I want to stop drinking it. This wine was in great shape and probably has at least 3-5 more years at this stage. I don't see it improving from here, so feel free to drink up. It's a winner!
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12/25/2019 - cstir Likes this wine: 90 Points
Cellared wine; smooth on opening with nice flavor; depth and complexity are probably past peak; nice finish
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12/13/2019 - WizardNeedsFood Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wow. Really nice. Deep garnet with a little bricking. Rich plum, blackberries, dark fruit, dark chocolate, and all flavor still prominent / bright. Tannins are well-integrated. Full mouthfeel and long finish. Nice acidity matches very well with the ribeyes.
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10/20/2019 - Christine Havens Likes this wine: 93 Points
2001 marked my enrollment into the Institute for Enology and Viticulture in Walla Walla. It was the first year I tasted Leonetti, the following year the Figgins family awarded me a scholarship. To revisit this wine brings back memories—the 2001 Reserve is an opulent blend of 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, and 7.5% Cabernet Franc. This bottle displayed mature aromas of plums, saddle leather, mahogany wood, sweet tobacco, and wood spice. Silky and round, with ripe, supple tannins and a protracted finish. 13.9% ABV
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12/23/2018 - sma wrote: 95 Points
Deep garnet in color. Currents, raspberry, mocha on nose and palate. silky smooth and mature. While the fruit is present and ripe, it is not overwhelmingly jammy. Medium density and medium to long finish. An absolute jewel to drink and share. Wish I had a case of this sitting in my cellar! Makes you understand why people love Washington State Cab if you drink this wine!
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6/10/2018 - Skip4wine wrote: 95 Points
From Coravin. Gave it more time in the glass and definitely better than my last note. Mocha, some wood and dark fruits right away. Deep, rich and a mouthfeel like velvet. Beautiful nose. In its sweet spot but will stay there for years.
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5/13/2018 - Skip4wine wrote: 93 Points
Dark cherries and some cranberries but it has completely melded together so nothing stands out. Tannins in check but still some there. A very good wine. None of the complex secondary flavors you get in some other old wines but that doesn't mean it is not good in its own right. The finish is a little thin.
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5/10/2017 - Vinomnivore Likes this wine:
Very little tannin left, light profile, nice red fruit.
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2/8/2015 - winejnky wrote: 90 Points
Dense and chewy, dried cherry, strawberry and cranberry fruit flavors, mild tannins and a hint of sweet oak mid-palate, slightly dry with a short finish. Decanted for 90 minutes. This bottle was showing an older profile than the one we had Nov 2014.
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11/23/2014 - winejnky wrote: 93 Points
Dark red with garnet edge; strawberry rhubarb nose; penetrating black cherry and blackberry fruit, really robust with some alcohol push on the lingering finish. We decanted this for 2 hours and consumed it over the next 2.5, and it just kept getting better as it opened up.
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10/25/2014 - Wfjohn wrote: 90 Points
Dried cherries mainly. Limited tannins. Enjoyed the bottle but the finish was pretty short. Not a lot left on it I'd say.
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9/14/2014 - DugyDog Likes this wine: 92 Points
Mature
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7/23/2014 - Hodby wrote: 94 Points
Medium red-garnet color, pale-edged. Huge nose, cherry-berry fruit, expresso, celeriac, fresh fully synthetic motor oil. On arrival, negligible tannin and low acidity; silky body. Eyes closed, I'd have pegged this for a Shafer Hillside Select cabernet of similar age. Plump and rich, easy drinking, not especially complex, but oh so enjoyable. Bottle #1 of one, from magnum.
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1/5/2014 - jhieb Likes this wine: 94 Points
A little hot when first opened, but, this really came together after 3-4 hours. Velvety smooth with delicious fruit.
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12/1/2013 - jlanzmo wrote: 96 Points
Amazing wine!!
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4/13/2013 - Josh Dooley Likes this wine: 94 Points
Just wow. Smooth, well balanced and a pleasure to drink.
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12/31/2011 - W2WineGuy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Third bottle of the evening, after a Cotes and a Syrah. Wish I had this earliers as I think my palate was a little blown out at that point, but was silky, a great taste and boquet, lingering finish. Very good!
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12/17/2011 - johnnyo wrote: 95 Points
Fantastic wine! Perfectly balanced.
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7/3/2011 - EricBe wrote: 96 Points
yum
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5/1/2011 - EMichels wrote: 94 Points
Beautiful nose; Cool fruit; Great depth, length
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4/2/2011 - bnord81 wrote: 95 Points
Outstanding, once again. Got to be some of the best juice coming out of Walla Walla. Wish I had more, lots more.
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2/27/2011 - johnnyo wrote: 95 Points
Exceptional wine! Drinking beautifully right now, very elegant, layered and complex. Similar to previous tasting notes but I was also getting a lot of candied red cherry this time. Beautiful wine.
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1/8/2011 - mdefreitas wrote: 93 Points
Football and 2001 Cabs @ Howard's 2011 (Old Greenwich, CT): This surpised me by its lack of flashy oak. Sweet ripe fruit, but in balance. The tannins are smooth and this is in a nice drinking spot.
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1/6/2010 - Vinomarcus wrote: 92 Points
Wednesday Night Blind - January 2010 (Peter Pratt's Inn): This wine was initially very primary and didn't have a lot of depth to it, lots of oak on first taste as well. It began to integrate nicely and had a silky smooth texture, big rich fruit, fantastic sense of balance and a long finish. This would have benefited from some decanting as well. I really like it though and thought it was more feminine than the straight Merlot that followed.
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12/25/2009 - johnnyo wrote: 95 Points
Possibly the best wine of 2009. Decanted for 2 hours, just incredible. Fantastic flavors of black currant, blueberry, red plum and licorice with velvety tannins and a finish that lasted over a minute.
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10/9/2009 - Share 67 wrote: 93 Points
Drank a bottle last night at the Manny's in Miami Beach. The reserve followed a nice bottle of Casa Piena. After an hour of decanting the Leonetti opened nicely and had a lite but elegant nose. And had a medium to medium large body to it. I paired it with the bone in filet and was very please. It complimented the steak nicely. I'm glad I've held this wine until now. I believe it will age well into the future.
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2/14/2009 - markcvino wrote: 93 Points
Valentines! Nose is muted at first.
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8/5/2005 - cfreemott wrote: 91 Points
Typical Leo on the nose, heavy vanilla and leather. Nose softened after about an hour in the decanter. Palate brings forward crushed sour cherry, red fruit, sugared plums. finish is good, is clean and does linger for about 45 seconds. I'd drink again,l but instead of having it alone, I'd like to have it with a fat rare steak!
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5/21/2005 - Eric wrote:
The Mother of All Cult-Cab Tastings 2001 (TMOACCT) (Seattle, WA): The nose is medicinal (like a vitamin pill), a bit bizarre with a green, herbal edgy quality, candied. Not good.
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