Leonetti Sangiovese, 2005.

Times are uncertain in this economy and we certainly have curtailed our wine purchases. Like many we talk to, we are spending time ferreting out good value wines. If you have not tapped into $10 Tuesday, then you should bookmark us and keep an eye out. However, we do have lots of moderately priced wines in the cellar, ranging from $20 to $50 that we bought before stuff hit the fan. It doesn't cost anything to open a bottle we already bought months ago. I had a good day at work and felt like pulling out something special.

This is the second Sangiovese that we have had from Leonetti in Washington state. An email from Eric of Salem Wine Imports last Fall saying that he had a case of this wine resulted in a hasty reply…“save me two bottles!”.

This was late September and getting into Salem, Massachusetts during Halloween Season is easy enough but parking isn’t. I had to wait until November before I could get close enough to Salem Wine Imports to pick up my bottles. I arrived unannounced. Much to our amusement, Eric looked at me and said, “I knew you would come today and I can’t find your wine!” We laughed and then he was able to locate it in the stocks.

Like the 2003 Leonetti Sangiovese, this was aged in French oak puncheons and large oval botti for 14 months, this wine has very mild European oak characteristics. The lot size is 871 cases. Syrah brings strength to the wine adding additional depth and body.

Sangiovese
Leonetti Cellars
Walla Walla Valley
Vintage: 2005

Blend Sangiovese 76%, Syrah 13%, Cabernet Sauvignon 11%
Alcohol: 14.1
Price: $35.00
Color: Rich garnet
Intensity: Dark
Aromas: Black cherry, cassis, allspice, burnt chocolate,
Flavors: blackberry, cherry, cassis, licorice, oak, allspice, cedar, tar
Body: Full
Acidity: Crisp
Sweetness: Dry
Tannins: Suede
Finish: Long

Summary: Lots of cassis, cherry, and blackberry to start. As the wine opened up, cedar notes began to emerge. I think the Sangiovese has been masked by the Cabernet Sauvignon making this more of a bold American style wine. Very fruit forward with woody almost bitter tannins mid-palate. Very drinkable, but for a Sangiovese lover, I would hesitate to call it "Sangiovese" in the Super Tuscan sense.