2012 Leonetti Walla Walla Reserve
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Tasting notes
Black raspberries and pine resin give way to underbrush and sage as the 2012 Red Wine Reserve blossoms in the glass. This is in a beautiful place, just entering its drinking window, with a massive wave of rich red fruits and savory spices that cascade across the palate. The 2012 finishes chewy and long, yet its tannins have mellowed, making for a slightly grippy yet still-fresh expression. If sitting on more than one bottle, the 2012 is certainly worth checking today; yet, with that said, there's no rush. I can't help but be swept off my feet by this utterly classic Red Wine Reserve.
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Eric Guido, Vinous
More reviews and scores
(certain core blocks typically are put aside for this wine, with a final selection of barrels made late): Bright ruby-red. Pungent aroma of dark berries, dried flowers, cedar and licorice, plus a faint minty nuance. Denser and sweeter than the Cabernet bottling, boasting a voluptuous texture framed by perfectly integrated acidity. Still youthfully imploded, starting with intense red fruit flavors and finishes black. Already conveys outstanding finesse and a light touch. Finishes very subtle and long, with big, broad, cheek-coating tannins in perfect balance with the wine's fruit. Really splendid energy and sap here.
One of the wines of the vintage, the 2012 Walla Walla Reserve is an incredible wine that could rival the 2010 down the road. A blockbuster blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Malbec, 8% Petit Verdot and 6% Merlot, it’s overflowing with notions of cassis, plum, licorice, toasted spice and asphalt-like aromas and flavors. Big, inky, massively concentrated and structured, with a serious lashing of tannin, it pushes on the ripeness scale, yet stays lively, pure and focused, with killer length on the finish. Aged 22 months in new and once used French oak barrels and puncheons, it will be approachable in 3-4 years, and keep for three decades.