One whiff and I knew this wine was from the Rocks AVA. Not many people can make this kind of wine from the cobblestoned terroir. It is now roughly one year since I sat across famed winemaker Chris Figgins and tasted these wines for the first time. Leonetti has always been a highly traditional winery, making several wines each year and not branching out to new projects. The new single vineyard project is a great chance for Chris to enter another element as a winemaker and the end results is quite extraordinary. This time rather than tasting with Chris, I opened each bottle and tasted them over several hours, watching them evolve. As I noted last year, I am enamored by the expression of terroir here. Each wine is distinct but all share the same backbone of rich dark fruits with fantastic weight and cellaring potential.
Truly one of the unique wines made in Washinton, I adored the 2017 Leonetti Cellar ‘Holy Roller Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon (WWB, 95) which is silky and shows a great lay of salinity from the stony terroir. This is amongst the finest expression of Rocks Cabernet Sauvignon that I have seen. A shining star, the 2017 Leonetti Cellar ‘Mill Creek Upland’ Cabernet Sauvignon (WWB, 97) is dense, chewy and massive with an incredible veil of tension. This will be a great wine to revisit in ten years, as it needs a long decant if enjoying in its unadulterated youth. Learn more about these stunning new wines at http://leonetticellar.com/ Here are my reviews of the beautiful new Leonetti Cellar Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon wines.
2017 Leonetti Cellar ‘Holy Roller Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Located in the Rocks District of Milton-Freewater, the ‘Holy Roller Vineyard’ is a dramatic site planted on cobblestones, set at 950-970 feet elevation. Once on the nose the lighter stony character really entices as Umami tones combine with creosote, coffee grounds and dark chocolate shavings. The palate is soft, round and generous. I love the silky mouthfeel at play here, adding to the enjoyment as layers of kirsch cordial, blackberry compote, cigar box, wet stone and a light dusting of salinity all marvelously intermingle. Seamless and elegant, lined with light tannins, this beautiful new wine will cellar well for the next fifteen years. Drink 2020-2035- 95
2017 Leonetti Cellar ‘Loess Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The ‘Loess Vineyard’ was planted to Bordeaux varietals nearly 20 years ago just due east of the winery. Weighing in at 14.7% alcohol, layers of toasty oak aromatics are woven together with violets, Turkish coffee and shades of huckleberry liquor on this gorgeous nose. The palate is fresh and impeccably balanced. Ripe dark cherries combine with cigar ash, Turkish coffee and shades of blueberry compote on this deep and luxuriously textured wine. Sinfully good to enjoy in its hedonistic youth, the 2017 ‘Loess Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon will enjoy drinking enjoyment for many decades to come. Be sure to give this a long decant if enjoying in its nascent phase. Drink 2020-2040- 96
2017 Leonetti Cellar ‘Mill Creek Upland Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2017 ‘Mill Creek Upland Vineyard’ by Leonetti is a superlative effort by superstar winemaker Chris Figgins. Needing a one hour decant to be fully expressive, once aroused this beautiful wine shows violet rose petals and creme de cassis woven together with black olives, baking spices and mocha tones that all take shape in the glass. The palate is round and generous, showing really good viscosity but a gorgeous veil of tension that run through the core of dark fruits. Undertones of espresso bean and blueberry pie also add to the enjoyment. With a resounding long finish, the 2017 ‘Mill Creek Upland Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a monumental release that will cellar well over the next twenty years. Drink 2020-2040- 97
2017 Leonetti Cellar ‘Serra Pedace’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The ‘Serra Pedace Vineyard’ is named after the Leonetti’s Italian ancestors who originated from Calabria, Italy. Deeply colored in the glass, the Cabernet Sauvignon shows intense asian spices that mingle with black currants, cigar box and anise tones that all take shape in the glass. The palate is plush and deep, with layers of dark fruits that mingle with coffee ground and dried herbs. Sensational in its youth, this needs about a two hour decant to fully get going. Drink 2020-2040- 95