Leonetti Cellar Merlot 2018, Walla Walla Valley, Washington

Our first release from 2018 is a true marker of this extraordinarily high-quality vintage. Extremely dark and impressively structured. Bursting from the glass are aromatics of roses, other florals, ripe mixed plums, planed cedar, and a creamy cinnamon roll note that is enticingly seductive. The wine is broad and rich on the palate with incredible density of fruit and very fine-grained tannins. In a vintage like this one, the blend simply beckoned to be a 100% Merlot as it needs no support from other Bordeaux varieties. Our exceptional Loess Vineyard fruit makes up a full two-thirds of the blend with the balance contributed by Mill Creek Upland as well as our 40-year-old original block at the Leonetti winery. Aged 15 months in new and once-filled French oak barrels and neutral oval botti.