2015 Leonetti Cellar Reserve Walla Walla Valley

• By Eric Guido
  Making History: 21 Vintages of Leonetti’s Red Wine Reserve (Oct 2023), 10/1/2023, (See more on Vinous...)

  (Leonetti Cellar Red Wine Reserve Washington Red) Login and sign up and see review text.

• By Stephen Tanzer
  Focus on Washington: The New Normal (Nov 2018), 11/1/2018, (See more on Vinous...)

  (Leonetti Cellar Red Wine Reserve Washington Red) Login and sign up and see review text.

JebDunnuck.com

• By Jeb Dunnuck
  Latest Releases from Washington State, 4/5/2018, (See more on JebDunnuck.com...)

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JamesSuckling.com

• By James Suckling
  3/18/2018, (See more on JamesSuckling.com...)

  (Leonetti Cellar Walla Walla Valley Reserve, Red, United States) Login and sign up and see review text.

Full Pull

• By Paul Zitarelli
  Full Pull Leonetti, 3/1/2018

  (Leonetti Reserve) Hello friends. Today we have one of our annual Full Pull rites: our offering of Leonetti’s new releases. Deep in the stubborn gloom of early March, it’s a bud pushing through cold earth: a clear indication that spring is on the ascendancy. It’s one of my favorite offerings to write each year. After all, it isn’t every day that you get to write about the grand dame of the Walla Walla Valley, the founding winery in that AVA that quickly became one of Washington’s few cult producers. Founded in 1978 by Gary Figgins, Leonetti rapidly established a reputation as one of Washington’s top Cabernet and Merlot producers, helped along by their 1978 Cabernet Sauvignon being recognized as best in nation in a Wine & Spirits Magazine blind tasting. Brisk mailing list sales followed, and soon thereafter, the mailing list closed and the waiting list opened. Currently it’s the second generation helming the winery, in the form of Chris Figgins. Chris has subtly shifted the emphasis of the winery towards its estate vineyards in the past few years, and the results have been outstanding. I have also been lucky enough to taste vintages of Leonetti wines from the ‘80s and ‘90s, as well as plenty of more recent vintages. These are wines that can age in profoundly beautiful directions (if you can resist their youthful charms). The transition to Leonetti’s second generation is just about complete, and the future for this Mt. Rushmore-level Washington winery looks bright indeed. Now, a quick logistics reminder: This is a pre-release offering, where we’re sending the offer before we know our allocations. Using this model allows us to advocate on behalf of our list for allocations that most accurately reflect our overall demand. The flip side is: some pre-release offerings turn out to be mirage wines: wines where we end up receiving smaller-than-expected allocations and then need to under-allocate. Apologies in advance if that’s the case here. As far as timing goes, we should be able to send out allocation notices in 1-2 weeks (orders will remain Pending until then), and the wines should arrive before the end of March. Now let’s dig into them:While they had produced Reserve Cabernets before 2000, it was at the millennial turn that Leonetti dropped the varietal designation on their Reserve, freeing them to create a Bordeaux blend in whatever proportions would craft the finest wine possible. In 2015, the blend is 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, rounded out with 29% Malbec and 8% Merlot. The vineyards involved are Mill Creek Upland, Loess, and Seven Hills, and the wine was aged for 22 months in new and once-filled French oak barrels, and neutral French oak oval botti. Listed alc is 14.4%. No reviews yet for the 2015, but the 2008 received 97pts Jay Miller (Wine Advocate) and 96pts Gregutt (also a spot on Wine Enthusiast’s Top 100 Cellar Selections of 2011), the 2009 95pts David Schildknecht (Wine Adovcate), the 2010 a game-changing/eye-popping 100pts Dunnuck (Wine Advocate), the 2011 94+pts Tanzer, the 2012 98pts Dunnuck, the 2013 97pts Bargreen, and the 2014 98pts Bargreen. Winery tasting notes: Color is deeply saturated ruby. Our flagship ’15 Reserve has an explosive nose of vanilla, lavender, cinnamon graham cracker, and puree of ripe brambles. Time in the glass reveals secondary notes of cedar and strawberry rhubarb pie. Seamless tannins and incredible length. With a finish resembling cherry liqueur, the Malbec brings the wine into tight focus.