Published in October 2001

Wines, Spirits and Beers published in the October 2001 issue of Wine Enthusiast Magazine.

Sort By:

Leonetti Cellar 1998 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Walla Walla Valley (WA))

Price $95

Leonetti’s reserve, made entirely from grapes grown in the Walla Walla valley, is a distillation of everything that makes this the quintessential Washington state cult winery. Ripe, classy cassis fruit is seamlessly married to layers of oak; the barrel aging adding dimensions of toast and chocolate, espresso and cream, butterscotch and roasted nuts, to the extended… — P.G. (10/1/2001)

points

Leonetti Cellar 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley (WA))

Price $60

Here again the 1998 vintage shows its forward, fat, fruity, lip-smackingly luscious qualities right out in front. This is a meaty, oaky Cab, with firm, tongue-lashing tannins, plenty of red berry/cassis fruit and a power-packed profile from top to bottom. It’s delicious and strong, with coffee, bitter chocolate and licorice lining the extended finish. Ideally… — P.G. (10/1/2001)

points

Leonetti Cellar 1999 Merlot (Columbia Valley (WA))

Price $55

For more than two decades, Merlot has been the signature wine for Leonetti. This year’s version is dense and tannic. The immediate impression is of charcoal, ash and black cherries. As the wine opens up there are spices (black pepper, anise, bay leaf), roasted nuts, lush tannins and more fruits — berries, cherries and plums. Though young, tight and still tannic… — P.G. (10/1/2001)

points

Northstar 1998 Merlot (Columbia Valley (WA))

Editors' Choice

Price $50

Northstar makes a bold, ultra-premium Merlot. It’s soft, satiny and sexy, with voluptuous black cherry/blackberry fruit, layers of chocolate, and spices suggestive of cinnamon, mint and more exotic flavors. Powerful and complex, yet open and accessible, it showcases the “serious” side of Merlot. Editors’ Choice. — W.E. (10/1/2001)

points

Cayuse 2000 Cailloux Vineyard Viognier (Walla Walla Valley (WA))

Price $28

Cayuse is really on a roll, as the inspired fanatic Christophe Baron methodically plants small plots of rock-strewn Walla Walla vineyard. Cailloux (formerly Cobblestone) was his first, and the single acre of Viognier yielded just 120 cases of wine in 2000, but what a wine! Succulent, glorious, peach-scented fruit mingles with butterscotch rum and a distinct… — P.G. (10/1/2001)

points

Labouré-Roi 1998 Domaine Maroslavac Clos du Vieux Chateau White (Puligny-Montrachet)

Cellar Selection

Price $35

At first, the nose shows heady buttercream and custard notes; after a few minutes in the glass, the nose opens (and lightens up) to reveal luscious nut and pear aromas underneath. It's dense in the mouth, with luscious green apple, fresh-cut grass, spice and fresh herb flavors. The finish is so long that one reviewer noted that " it just keeps on going," with… — W.E. (10/1/2001)

points

Hedges 1998 Red Mountain Reserve (Columbia Valley (WA))

Price $45

This is the winery’s flagship blend, all estate-grown fruit, and built to age. Intense color, perfume and flavors highlight a focused, concentrated wine. It carries powerful cherry fruit into a compact, extended finish. The wine is so young and compressed that it doesn’t yet show the nuances of terroir and barrel that are built into it; let it breathe for several… — W.E. (10/1/2001)

points

Chateau Ste. Michelle 1998 Cold Creek Vineyard Chardonnay (Columbia Valley (WA))

Price $25

Cold Creek is one of the best vineyards in Washington, and does especially well with Chardonnay. This is a laid-back style, a bit coquettish even, that requires a little probing on the part of the consumer. But it rewards your efforts with layers of subtle flavors, beautifully balanced and aromatic. New French oak and sur lie aging help to define the contours and… — P.G. (10/1/2001)

2009 W.H. Smith Purple Label Piedra Hill Vineyard

This is a gigantic Cabernet, deeply concentrated and enormously tannic…

(Sponsored)