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2016 Leonetti Cellar Walla Walla Merlot

Not Currently In Auction

Latest Sale Price

July 9, 2023 - $56

Estimate

RATINGS

93Jeb Dunnuck

...loaded with notions of black cherries, plums, leafy herbs, and graphite, it offers medium to full-bodied richness, bright yet integrated acidity and a great finish...fresh and lively...

92Wine Spectator

Combines a sense of sleek elegance with a refined structure, featuring expressive black cherry and smoky spice overtones that take on richness toward polished tannins.

92+ Stephen Tanzer

... Aromas of crushed berries, licorice and mint. Quite penetrating and classically dry on the palate, with its berry and bitter chocolate flavors complicated by a subtle spicy, smoky character....energetic and incisive, showing excellent definition for Merlot and finishing with attractive floral lift...

92Wine Enthusiast

...anise, dark fruit, mocha, spice, flower, earth and green pepper aromas lead to focused fruit flavors, with a firm spine of tannin, bright acidity and finish that carries...

REGION

United States, Washington, Walla Walla Valley

Walla Walla Valley AVA likes to call itself the Napa Valley of Washington, and given the concentration of well-reviewed wineries in the appellation, the comparison is understandable. The Walla Walla appellation is comprised of 340,000 acres, of which 1,200 acres are vineyards. Walla Walla is located in the southeastern corner of Washington and it extends slightly into northeastern Oregon. It is named after the Walla Walla River Valley, and the city of Walla Walla is the commercial center of Washington’s wine industry. The city was founded in the 1840s by the Hudson’s Bay Company as a trading post, but as early as the 1850s farmers were planting grapes for winemaking. Prohibition shuttered winemaking in the early 20th century, but a winemaking renaissance started in the 1970s when Leonetti Cellars, still one of the state’s most acclaimed wineries, started producing acclaimed Cabernet Sauvignon. Walla Walla’s AVA status was awarded in 1984 and today there are more than 100 wineries. Cabernet Sauvignon is the most frequently planted grape, followed by Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese Chardonnay and Viognier.

TYPE

Red Wine, Merlot

The Merlot grape is such a deep blue that it is named for the blackbird. It’s an early ripening grape and one of the primary varietals used In Bordeaux. Merlot is also grown in the "International style," which is harvested later to bring out more tannins and body.