January 09th, 2017

2012 Whitehall Lane Cabernet Sauvignon Leonardini

​We will be conducting a lecture tasting at the Classic Cafe on the evening of January 24th.  The subject of that tasting is the Crawford Malone Portfolio which includes a variety of blue chip California wineries.  While discussing the line up with the Crawford Malone Somm we enjoyed a bottle of the 2012 Whitehall Lane Cabernet Leonardini.  Noticing that it was a 2012 vintage, we assumed this was from Reggie's personal cellar and not the current release.  As it turns out there are 34 bottles available.  Pedigree and temperature controlled time in the bottle have done true justice to this amazing Cabernet.  Dark plums brighten into blueberry and then drip into a hauntingly beautiful dark cherry finish laced with mocha, dark and white chocolate and Rutherford dust.  Though this wine will cellar another 10 years minimum, 5 years in the bottle has allowed the  2012 Leonardini to evoke incredibly silky tannin layers.  A small percentage of old vine Petit Verdot gives this Cabernet incredible nuance.  $79 matches the low in the country and goes to $125, this is listed as 90 wholesale. 

34 bottles available, $79 per

Michele:  Brambley!!  Plums and pepper with Rutherford dust!   Lots of black cherries with silky finish.  If you like Adaptation, this is definitely for you!! 

All the best, Rex & Michele 

 
Lots of ripe and unctuous plum fruit character on the nose. Full-bodied, round and soft with lots of luscious fruit. Old school Napa but clean and juicy. Drink now. 
James Sucking 90 points
 
A pure, rich and layered effort, with tiers of complex currant, dark berry and espresso-laced oak. Elegantly styled, this drinks well already and should hold over the next decade. Shows lots of nuance. Drink now through 2024. 504 cases made.  Issue Web Only - 2016 JL  Wine Spectator  90 Points
From winery:  The Leonardini Estate Cabernet Sauvignon comes from handpicked blocks in Whitehall Lane’s Estate Vineyards. This 2012 wine was made from grapes grown in four of the Leonardini Family’s seven Estate Vineyard properties. It included select vineyard rows of Cabernet Sauvignon from the Oak Glen, Millennium MM and Leonardini Vineyards. The Petit

Verdot was harvested from our Fawn Park Vineyard. The wine was aged in 80% French and 20% American oak barrels for 22 mo.

This 2012 Leonardini Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is inviting with notes of dark fruit and toasty oak. The flavor profile is focused and balanced with black berry, black cherry and polished tannins integrated through to its long, silky finish.  Enjoyable today, this wine will continue to evolve through 2028.

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