2009 Leonetti Cellar Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

The Leonetti 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon – which incorporates some Merlot and Carmenere along with a smidgeon of Malbec – surprisingly evinces blueberry as well as cassis and cherry, in sweet but neither cooked nor confitured fashion, shadowed by suggestions of their high-toned, distilled counterparts. Ginger, cinnamon, toasted pecan, black tea and mint accents add to the appeal of lush fruit on a finely-tannic, full-bodied (14.6% alcohol) yet buoyant palate, and this finishes with an invigoratingly tart fruit skin edge and positively vibrant “ping” of sheer juiciness and energy that leave one’s attention focused on a quivering tongue and the next sip. What a terrific example of how to achieve richness and sweetness of fruit while remaining fleet of foot! This beauty is unlikely to take a misstep for at least the next 12-15 years.