Whitehall Lane
2017 Cabernet Sauvignon
, Leonardini Estate
Napa Valley

93 Points - James Suckling
92 Points - Wine Spectator
91 Points - Wine Enthusiast

This is quintessential Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
Rich, dark black fruits, blueberries, blackberry bon bons, cassis, fragrant violets, tobacco leaf, and baking spices.  Its balance and mid-palate are most notable, providing long, plush tannins alongside its dense fruit character.  The palate delivers baked berry crisp, black and red fruits, toasted walnuts, brioche and a touch of cedar on the finish.  The beautiful underlying tannin structure of this wine, along with its complexity and ample fruit will continue to evolve.  Enjoy now or cellar for 15-20 years.

Voted Winery of the Year from Quarterly Review of Wine & Spirits Magazine. Napa Valley Life Magazine has also rated their tasting room as Best Tasting Room in Napa Valley.

The winery continues to receive accolades and awards for producing exceptional world-class wines.  In Wine Spectator Magazine’s year-end ranking of wines, Whitehall Lane has been honored three times for producing wines rated among the top five in the world.

WINEMAKING

Harvested in the early morning hours, this Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot were carefully destemmed and sent to tank for a whole-berry fermentation. The grapes were cold-soaked in tank at 45 degrees for 4-7 days, allowing for increased color, aroma, and flavor extraction. After inoculation, the grape must (juice, skins, and seeds) fermented at 82 degrees, which allowed for a hot extraction on the skins. For fermentation cap management, we pumped juice over the skins two times per day, wetting the cap evenly for a nice healthy fermentation.  After fermentation and pressing, the wine was sent to 65% new French oak, 35% neutral French oak barrels, aging for 26 months.  The final blend for the Leonardini Estate is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and was bottled unfined and unfiltered.

VINTAGE

The 2017 year began with abundant rainfall, followed by a mild Spring resulting in extended flowering with little shatter. The summer warmed up nicely, allowing the fruit to mature at an even rate and make optimum conditions for flavor development. A Labor Day weekend heat event kicked harvest into high gear, then cool weather allowed sugar levels to return to normal. The grapes were harvested in mid-September and the first week in October. The Cabernet Sauvignon in this wine was harvested from our Leonardini, Millennium MM, and Fawn Park estate vineyards.

Winemaker: Jason Moulton
Vintage:  2017
Appellation:  100% Napa Valley
Varietal Composition:  100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Alcohol: 14.9%

Tasting Notes  PDF

More About Whitehall Lane