October 27, 2023 - Nose is fragrant with the subtle scent of expensive perfume. Not fruity but the umami behind the fruit.
The mouth is bright with notes of strawberries and vanilla then as the wine coats the back of your mouth the mid note takes over in a gradual crescendo that gives off leather and tobacco and velvet. Gradually lowers for the next 30 seconds and the continues to give off a distant vibration for 90 seconds. A remarkable finish
April 6, 2023 - Meandering elegant and luscious with a georgeous and big nose. Dark fruit and strength with smooth transitions. Lingers for 45 seconds plus. Really and elite presentation of what Washington wine can be at its peak. Drink now.
April 15, 2022 - This is in a league of its own. The nose is full of varied notes, and the flavor has a beautiful arch with a long finish. Don’t hold much longer, not sure it can improve from here.
February 9, 2021 - For full disclosure, my son opened this wine while I was gone and left half the bottle for me to find when I returned 3 days later. Whatever happened over that time certainly did the wine no harm and may have improved it. It was soft, silky, supple and sublime. This experience suggests that if opened and drunk immediately, it might still benefit from another 3-4 years in the cellar
January 1, 2021 - Purple in color. 14.7% ABV. Spellbinding nose of dark fruits, scorched earth, Whitman Sampler box and violets. Exceptionally plush and concentrated. The classic iron fist in a velvet glove. Black currants, cassis liqueur, plums and anise on the palate. The finish is long and seamless with ultra fine tannins. Breathtaking wine that is aging brilliantly. This should cruise to 20 years of age and beyond.
September 18, 2018 - Purple color with a bouquet and flavor of blackberries, dark cherries, chocolate, and vanilla oak. More closed than the regular 2005 bottling with more aging potential. Think that this will improve over the next few years. Good balance with a fairly long finish. Drunk with its junior cousin at Emeril's on the beautiful beaches of highway 30A in the Panhandle. A good match for the wonderful short ribs.
May 20, 2017 - Leonetti Cellar Round Table Tasting (Knightsbridge - Northbrook IL): Tasting, brief note. Black currant , black cherry and cassis with dark chocolate, cigarbox and slightly sweet spice. Very good balance and length, certainly very good overall.
March 31, 2017 - This bottle was great. It received a full decanting and then was enjoyed leisurely. It was still youthful, dark in color and had a good balance of Bordeaux style fruit, tannins and the signature Leonetti oak. Wish I had more of this vintage.
January 7, 2017 - Inviting nose of menthol,oak and cherries leads to fresh blackberry and blueberry fruit flavors with a bit of vanilla and oak on the finish. Still fresh, young and tannic, this bottle was in very good shape, continuing to open up and evolve over several hours.
November 29, 2016 - Very nice. Full flavor but not overly big. On the younger side still but very drinkable. Overall, very well balanced.