Leonetti

[Rebel Rose]

1993 Leonetti Merlot – a dry cocoa in the nose, nicely soft and sweet on entry, well defined creamy flavours and surprising acidity at the end. I like these wines with enough age to tone down and integrate the often excessive levels of oak.

I just heard today that I have graduated from the waiting list to the mailing list. I've been on the wait list for about 2 1/2 years. Amazing! The full customer allocation is a case of cabernet, case of merlot, 3 bottles of reserve cabernet, and 3 sangiovese. I'm excited. Do you think it will be worth the wait?

[Florida Jim]

1993 Leonetti Merlot – a dry cocoa in the nose, nicely soft and sweet on entry, well defined creamy flavours and surprising acidity at the end. I like these wines with enough age to tone down and integrate the often excessive levels of oak.

I just heard today that I have graduated from the waiting list to the mailing list. I've been on the wait list for about 2 1/2 years. Amazing! The full customer allocation is a case of cabernet, case of merlot, 3 bottles of reserve cabernet, and 3 sangiovese. I'm excited. Do you think it will be worth the wait?

←

If you love toasty new oak.

Best, Jim

[docsconz]

The problem with being on the mailing list is the feeling of having to use one's allocation. I was doing that with Kistler until I filled up a good portion of my cellar with it. Now that is not such a terrible thing, but over the last couple of years I have developed the nerve to resist. My wallet is happier for it.

[Brad Ballinger]

Mary,

I'm fully with Jim on this. If you love -- and I mean love -- new oak, you won't be disappointed. It's as if new American oak barrels aren't enough. I wouldn't be surprised if Gary Figgins also uses oak chips inside the oak barrels.

I have one bottle of Leonetti in the cellar, a 1994 Cab. I'll either be donating it to a charity auction or opening it for friends who like that style.

[Rebel Rose]

Eew. I don't like a lot of oak, but we'll see. Maybe I'll just take the budget allocation the first time and see if I like it first. I haven't yet gotten to try a Leonetti, so I am at least excited to have the opportunity. I'm particularly curious about the sangiovese.

Edited to add: Although . . . I do like Stefan Asseo's L'Aventure wines, which are all new oak. His wines are big, big, big, in all respects though. Not my choice for food wine, but lovely, powerful statements that make great "conversation" wines.

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Which in turn reminds me . . . several of the local winemakers enjoyed a poker night this last weekend, which of course involved a sort of traveling barrel sampling party. The guys were tasting through Stefan's reds and he commented in his (still very strong) French accent, "I think this wine has a lot of whet papear."

Dan thought, wet paper? He sniffed and sniffed, but didn't get it, so he asked the others.

Stefan had moved on to another barrel, but Dan said, "You know, Stefan, I don't get any wet paper in this wine at all."

The others concurred.

"Yes, yes!" Stefan cried. "It's there. It's so obvious. Can you not smell and taste the wet paper?"

They said no . . . no wet paper at all. Stefan muttered to himself. "Yes, yes, definitely paper, but you know, it is, how you say, blanc, ze whet paper."

Ah, white paper! However, Dan still wasn't very enlightened. What's so special about white paper? The kind with blue lines that we used to chew into spitwads? He looked at Rich Hartenberger who also shrugged, thoroughly confused.

By this time Stefan was getting frustrated, "Yes, yes, it is spicy but delicate, you know? Like ze whet papercorns."

Hilarity ensued as half a dozen relieved winemakers realized he meant white pepper.

I hope Stefan won't mind me sharing this story. At the very least, you will perhaps be relieved to learn that by professional consensus there is NO "wet paper" in L'Aventure wines.

[Florida Jim]

Mary,

I was on their list; most of their wine has gone to auction as I could not stomach it.

That is not to say that the wine is poorly made or that a large number of the population enjoys it but, it may be one of the oakiest wines (all varieties) that I have ever tasted.

I gave up my allocation years ago and the savings have bought so many wines that are more to my style that I have never looked back.

But that is only one geek's opinion . . .

Best, Jim