2017 Leonetti Sangiovese

Dark ruby in color, the 2017 Walla Walla Sangiovese has high-toned red fruit aromas with lush cherry skin, red plum, cherry blossom and touches of black raspberry with soft oak spices that lift the nose. Medium to full-bodied, the wine is ripe with robust dark red fruits that coat the palate with a subtle spice that lingers through the mid-palate, showcasing a balanced structure. There is a slight lift of elevated alcohol along with mouthwatering, energetic acidity and a tannic edge on the long, lingering finish that makes this wine food-friendly. This isn't your average Chianti Classico; instead, it's Sangiovese turned up to 11!

The 2017 Sangiovese from Figgins is solid, offering a bright, lifted bouquet of mulled cherries, sagebrush, and toasted spice. These carry to a medium-bodied, elegant Sangiovese that has sweet fruit, present tannins, and a solid finish. Made from 100% Sangiovese aged 22 months in a mix of new, once-used, and neutral barrels as well as some oval botti, it’s a solid expression of Sangiovese that should evolve gracefully for 8-10 years. Located in Walla Walla and made by Chris Figgins, Leonetti Cellars is one of the benchmark estates in Washington. They produce a bevy of Bordeaux blends, with their Cabernet Sauvignon and Reserve functioning as the flagship wines. They also make a tiny amount of their single vineyard releases, all of which showed brilliantly for this report. Unquestionably, these 2017s are up with the crème de la crème of the vintage. While the 2017 vintage is generally forward and approachable, that’s not the case here and these wines are going to benefit from bottle age.