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Product Name
Vintage
Price
Varietal
Country
Region
Appellation
Size
Additional Discount
Original Item
2022
$118.65
Merlot
United States
Washington State
Walla Walla
750ml
6B / $116.28
Similar Price
2020
$115.82
Merlot
United States
California
Napa Valley
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Similar Price, Better Score
2019
$119.52
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California
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2018
$83.90
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California
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More wines available from Leonetti Cellar
750ml
Bottle:
$127.15
This Cabernet is sourced from four sites: Seven Hills, Mill Creek Upland, Leonetti Old Block, and Loess vineyards....
More Details
Winery
Leonetti Cellar
Varietal: Merlot
Today, Merlot is generally believed to be one of the most popular and widely planted grape varietals in the world, with expert estimates putting it just behind Cabernet Sauvignon in the top three most planted vines. Ask any winery anywhere between France and Argentina, and they'll tell you it is due to the grapes reliability, fantastic range of flavors and unique properties. Single variety Merlot wines are especially popular with companies wishing to target newcomers to the world of red wine, due to the fact that as Merlot has a low tannin content, and relatively little malic acid, the wines it produces are fleshy, well rounded and firmly in the 'medium body' category. This essentially means that they are extremely drinkable, full of lovely jammy fruit flavors and rich, pleasing aromas. That isn't to say that Merlot is only for beginners, though, as this grape is also one of the key varietals for producing some of the most highly respected, complex and perfectly balanced wines in the world.
Region: Washington State
Since it began in the 1820s, wine-production in Washington state has gone from strength to strength, with many of the finest United States wines coming out over the past twenty years hailing from this region. Today, the state is the second largest US producer of wines, behind California, with over forty thousand acres under vine. The state itself is split into two distinct wine regions, separated by the Cascade Range, which casts an important rain shadow over much of the area. As such, the vast majority of vines are grown and cultivated in the dry, arid desert-like area in the eastern half of the state, with the western half producing less than one percent of the state's wines where it is considerably wetter. Washington state is famed for producing many of the most accessible wines of the country, with Merlot and Chardonnay varietal grapes leading the way, and much experimentation with other varietals characterizing the state's produce in the twenty-first century.
Country: United States
Whilst there are several strains of native grape varietals in the United States, it was the introduction of the European species which prompted the country to begin producing wines on a large scale. Over the past few centuries, experimentation and cross-breeding has produced great successes in regards to the quality and suitability of the fruit grown in states such as California, Oregon, Washington and New York, and the past few decades have seen New World wines from the United States reach much higher standards. Arguably the finest United States wines have always come out of California, where the climate and terrroir is most suitable for fine wine production. The masterful blending of classic grape varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, amongst others including Syrah and Chardonnay, have had world beating results in recent years, prompting many to suggest that there has never been a better time for buying and drinking United States wines.
Appellation: Walla Walla
The sub-region of Walla Walla in Washington State is widely regarded as being home to many of the best wines to come out of the United States in recent years. The sub-region itself is most renowned for the high quality Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot wines it produces, as these grapes are particularly well suited to the dry and arid soils and hot climate the region enjoys. Walla Walla is also renowned for the innovative approach many of its wineries have to the wine making process, and forward-thinking farming methods involving organic principles, sustainability, and biodynamics are relatively commonplace there, resulting in a fascinating range of wines which capture the spirit of modern America. The area is currently expanding fast, due to recent successful vintages, and more and more wineries open in Walla Walla each year to join in the sub-region's dedication to quality.