Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 (750ML)

97 DE / 97 VM / 96+ JD / 96 JS / 94 WA

A blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon with 9% Merlot and smaller parts Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec, the wine saw 22 months of barrel and oval botti age before bottling. The nose is downright beguiling. Layers of ripe dark currants and mocha mingle with Turkish coffee, blueberry compote and tar give this a feeling of decadence. The palate is fresh and dense, with a seamless texture. Crème de cassis, pipe tobacco, coffee grounds and shades of blackberry pie all come together marvelously on the palate. This deftly walks the tightrope between hedonistic and highly structured. Owen Bargreen, Decanter

Another blockbuster effort by Leonetti, their 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is composed of nearly all Cabernet Sauvignon (81%) with a touch of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec added. Aromatically quite hedonistic, this offers instant gratification with suggestions of loganberry cordial, garrigue, wintergreen, anise and scorched earth accents that bring you back to the glass. Once in the mouth this shows plenty of ripe dark fruits and solid flavor density with menthol accents and firm tannins framing everything brilliantly. The long finish adds to the enjoyment as this sinfully good and finesse-driven Cabernet Sauvignon will cellar well for another two decades to come. Try to resist this beauty for several more years. - Owen Bargreen, Vinous Media

I loved the base 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon. This will stand up to any Bordeaux blend coming out of Washington today. A blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot, it offers a medium to full-bodied, incredibly seamless, balanced style carrying lots of cassis and darker currant fruit as well as notes of tobacco, bouquet garni, graphite, and scorched earth. It closes down relatively quickly with air and is a serious, structured, yet incredibly promising Cabernet. Hide bottles for 5-6 years and enjoy over the following two decades. Jeb Dunnuck

Blackberry, blackcurrant, tobacco leaf, dried herb, walnut and mocha on the nose. Some roasted-coffee notes. It’s full-bodied with firm, tightly knit tannins. Flavorful with fresh acidity and a supple texture. Delicious now, but better from 2022.  James Suckling

Made with the addition of 9% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 2% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2018 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon has a deep ruby core with a magenta rim and bursts with aromas of dark cherry, black raspberry essence and plum compote. Full-bodied, the palate offers firm tannins that sway with mineral tension and juicy robustness. Seductive floral tones offer a lasting impression across the long-lingering and juicy finish, leaving behind flavors of bitter dark chocolates and crème de cassis. Almost 35,000 bottles were filled after resting 22 months in new and used French oak barrels.-Anthony Mueller, The Wine Advocate

Blending Detail:
81% Cabernet Sauvignon
9% Merlot
6% Cabernet Franc
2% Malbec
2% Petit Verdot

Vineyards:
Seven Hills
Loess
Mill Creek Upland
Serra Pedace
Holy Roller
Leonetti Old Block

2018 is a banner year for Washington Cabernet Sauvignon. For the 2018 vintage, Leonetti has decided to blend more of its reserve wine into the Cabernet Sauvignon label, to produce a more elevated and complex example of this iconic Washington wine. Special to be certain.

Gorgeously saturated color. The bouquet emits bright red fruits, cedar, cassis, anise, and cocoa. The wine has lovely aging potential and is expressive with notes of pencil shavings, vanilla spice, and black currant. Flawlessly balanced on the palate with the perfect harmony of fruit, tannin, and acid. Leonetti Cellar