2009 - Leonetti, Reserve

The 2009 Red Wine Reserve is starting to show its maturity, yet pleasurably so, with a blend of plum and cherry sauce accentuated by tobacco and cloves. This is unexpectedly fresh yet still massive, with juicy red and black fruits that take on a balsamic tinge toward the close. Chalky minerals and mint notes linger as the 2009 finishes spicy and extended with a subtle sour cherry tinge. This is a racy Red Wine Reserve from a challenging vintage, with 20-22 days over 100 degrees and difficult canopies resulting from a large amount of spring rain. Ultimately, the vintage was halted on October 9th and 10th when a killing frost moved into the region, forcing an early harvest.