2014 Leonetti Merlot Washington State
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Tasting notes
(from Loess and Mill Creek Upland): Bright ruby-red. Deep, liqueur-like griotte cherry, wild herb and licorice aromas lifted by a slightly high-toned floral element. A lushly fruity, fine-grained fruit bomb on the palate, gaining creaminess with time in the glass. This wine has a pH of 3.52 following a bit of acidification. As sexy as it already is, the tannins currently impinge a bit on the finishing fruit, so I'd wait a year or two. Merlot for Pinot lovers.
Critic scores
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Jeb Dunnuck, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
A soft, sexy and luxuriously textured red, the 2014 Walla Walla Merlot (there’s 6% Cabernet Franc in the blend) is loaded with perfectly ripe notes of black currants, lead pencil shavings, charred earth and chocolate. Full-bodied and possessing a wealth of fruit, you have to hunt for the tannin, but they’re there; still, fruit and texture are the name of the game here. The baby fat should slowly melt away and it should have 15 years or more of longevity.