2002 Leonetti Cellar Red Table Wine “Reserve”. Walla Walla Valley, Washington. 14.5% alcohol. $95. 716 cases made
Deeply hued with thin dark colored legs. A full and inviting nose of milk chocolate, dark fruits, warm vanilla, soy sauce, and sweet herbs with a dash of pickle barrel. Smooth and plush in the mouth with lots of chocolaty fruit, low tannin, and good acidity. Finishes very long with oak tannins creeping up on the finish – you can taste the oak for minutes on the palate. A frankly delicious red Bordeaux blend right now that does not require a patient consumer to appreciate. Reminds me of a Pahlmeyer Merlot from a fine vintage. A 52% Cabernet, 31% Merlot, and 17% Petit Verdot mix that was aged for 22 months in new French and American oak. 80% of the Reserve was sourced from Mill Creek Upland (only five year old vines) with the remaining 20% from Seven Hills. Drink now to 2012 (Leonetti’s wines are generally better consumed earlier in their life cycle due primarily to the winery’s predilection for employing loads of oak which while sexy early on can turn churlish with too much time in the bottle). 94 points.