93 Points - James Suckling
92 Points - Wine Spectator
91 Points - Wine Enthusiast
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.
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%
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92 Points
Deep garnet-purple color with enticing and fragrant with notes of blackberry pie, Bourbon soaked maraschino cherries, Madagascar vanilla bean, mission figs, graphite, candied walnut, and cedar. Its palate provides big, round chewy tannins, stewed black plums, brambly black fruit, toasted nuts, char, and a touch of dark roast coffee.
90 Points
Black cherry cordial, fresh blackberries, strawberry rhubarb pie, mocha, cedar, dark chocolate, and a hint of graphite on the nose. The palate is bursting with mixed berry compote, blackberry jam, cacao bean, and toasted walnuts on the finish. This wine has great texture that ultimately finishes with round, silky smooth tannins.
94 Points
Deep aromas of ripe red fruits, black currants and wild berries, which are intermixed with hints of English toffee, tobacco, forest floor, and rustic spices. To provide a sense of place, the rich flavors of blackberry, ripe raspberry, plum and cherry are enhanced with underlying hints of dark chocolate truffle, wild mushroom, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a kiss of fine oak leading to a long, generous finish.
96 Points
Aromas of ripe red fruits layered with notes of mocha, leather, mineral, and baking spice. The palate offers deep, lively and generous notes of ripe cherry, dark plum, raspberry and fresh currants are interlaced with hints of dried cranberry, milk chocolate, wild sage, and roasted walnut.
94 Points
Rich and generous, with a deep purple hue. Aromas of crushed violets, ripe berries, blueberry pop-tarts, black currant, licorice, chocolate-coated espresso beans, allspice, and cedar box. Full-bodied with a plush, velvety texture.
93 Points
Deep red hue and hints of violet teasing the senses with seductive aromas of dark fruits, wild berries, cocoa, baking spices, leather, and cigar box. Filled with saturated flavors of ripe blackberry, blueberry, cassis, cherry cola, ripe plum, fresh sage, licorice, clove, and roasted black walnut.
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