2016 Leonetti Cellars Reserve Washington Red

2016 Leonetti Cellars Reserve

99 JD

Featured Review

The 2016 Reserve is similar in color (it might be even inkier at the rim) and is a blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Malbec, and 5% Cabernet Franc that spent 22 months in a mix of 75% new and 25% once-used French oak barrels. It offers sensational notes of crème de cassis, graphite, crushed rocks, smoke tobacco, and perfectly integrated oak. These all flow to a ripe, powerful, yet seamless and incredibly elegant wine that has nothing out of place, building tannins, awesome purity of fruit, and a massive finish. Reminding me of the 2010, yet made in a more elegant style, this magical wine is drinkable today but will benefit for 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for 3-4 decades. Hats off to Chris Figgins for another awe-inspiring wine. Jeb Dunnuck

Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JD

Beautifully stylish, this is a complex, youthful red with attractive, barrel-derived charcuterie, built around precisely ripe blackcurrants, red plums and dark cherries, as well as cedary-tobacco nuances and dark chocolate. So classic. The palate has a succulent, smooth and astutely groomed texture with tannins that are so nicely worked and deliver length with elegance. Black-cherry, blood-plum and dark-chocolate flavors abound. A blend of 73% cabernet sauvignon, 22% malbec and 5% cabernet franc. Try from 2024.

James Suckling | 97 JS

A blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Malbec and 5% Cabernet Franc, the 2016 Walla Walla Reserve is the king of the range with expressive, bold fruit that demonstrates finesse and power, with crème de cassis, blackberry skin and dark cherry jus that connects with a spiced core and oaky essence on the nose. Full-bodied on the palate, the wine bursts with flavor teeming with tension and ripe tannins that will carry this for decades to come. Lush and round, it ends with a long, thought-provoking finish with impeccable balance. 911 cases produced.

Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RP

Bright red-ruby. Very dark, vibrant scents and flavors of blackberry, cassis, boysenberry, licorice and violet. Incredibly silky and concentrated on the palate, with terrific mineral lift intensifying the wine's fruit. The remarkably long, slowly building finish features noble tannins. It's hard to scrape this off the palate, and yet this brilliant wine shows no excess weight. Incidentally, this wine is made from all four of the estate's vineyards plus some old vines in Seven Hills. Should be very long-lived.

Vinous Media | 96 VM

Graceful, polished and dynamic, with layered blackberry, toasty allspice and espresso flavors that take on richness toward refined tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2028. 911 cases made.

Wine Spectator | 95 WS

Cabernet Sauvignon makes up 73% of this wine, with the balance a healthy dollop of Malbec (22%) along with a smidgen of Cabernet Franc. For the first time, this wine includes fruit from newer estate plantings at Holy Roller and Serra Pedace. The aromas reveal notes of coffee, star anise, black cherry, plum and spice. Plump, saturated, palate-coating fruit flavors follow with highly structured acidity and tannins backing it up. This wine is always more about the future than the present, and never more so than with this vintage. Best after 2025, with a long life beyond that.

Wine Enthusiast | 94 WE

Type of Wine	Washington Red
Varietal	Proprietary Blend : Proprietary Blend is a general term used to indicate that a wine is comprised of multiple grape varietals which are either “proprietary” to the winery or is blended and does not meet the required maximum or minimum percentage of a particular varietal. This also is the case for the grape’s place of origin, especially for region, appellation or vineyard designated wines. There are endless examples of blended wines which are labeled as “Proprietary Blend” and in conjunction with each region’s stipulated wine laws and regulations makes for a vast blanket for wines to fall into. Perhaps the simplest example is California; if a wine is to be labeled as Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, it is required to have at least 75% of the varietal (Cabernet Sauvignon) and 85% of the fruit must be cultivated from the Napa Valley wine district. If the wine does not meet the requirements, it is then labeled as Proprietary Blend.
Country	US : As one of the most prolific and innovative wine regions in the world, America is a joy to explore. Most wine connoisseurs will agree that the nation's finest and most compelling wines are being produced today, which means that we have front-row seats to one of the most inspirational stories in wine history. While other regions tend to focus on specific wine styles and have somewhat strict rules as to which varietals you could grow, areas like California have few such restrictions in place. As a result, creative visionaries behind America's most reputable estates have been able to develop compelling, unique, and innovative styles, with a level of terroir expression that rivals even France's largest giants.
Region	Washington : While California definitely owns the spotlight when it comes to excellent American wines, Washington winemakers should certainly not be underestimated. While their traditional focus was set firmly on refreshing, illustrious white wines, they've adopted French red varietals like Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Since then, they've been achieving excellence in both categories and can compete with the world's most prestigious viticultural titans. Flavor-wise, you can expect a healthy amount of variety when it comes to Washington's finest wines. From acidic and fruity bottles that can shake you up from even the deepest slumber or sadness to rich and ripe powerhouses that command the respect of everyone in the room after as much as a single whiff. Juicy raspberries that gently tickle your tongue, deep and noble blackberries, intense cherries and earthen oak - these are the flavors that characterize this region, despite the presence of an entire orchestral symphony of other aromatic notes. A sampling of fine wine from Washington is a lot like being seduced, so why not uncork one of these bottles for a potential or existing partner? With a drink of this quality, those romantic sparks will turn into a fireworks display, as your emotions are laid bare and intensified, and you make a connection that can last a lifetime.