"Old red wine, not worth a dime; we'll have to finish it after crossing the line."



Old Red Wine by The Who





When we hit a subject we hit it hard and after our big Passing Time Happy Hour and vertical tasting with Washington state wines I thought it would be a good follow-up with one of the classics from Walla Walla Leonetti Cellars. 



So, when we received this collection of older vintage Leonetti Cellars wines I thought this would be the perfect follow-up to the study of the last 11 vintages of Passing Time.  These Leonetti Cellars wines are all 10+ years of age and from some of the best vintages that are now drinking at or near their peak years.  I always say great Bordeaux needs 10-20 years before they start to get interesting and these Bordeaux varietals from the state of Washington are no different. 

The fee for this tasting which includes dinner is $250 + tax.  For reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com

Leonetti Cellars Washington State Wine Tasting

Thursday, April 3rd, 2025

7:30 PM

2006 Leonetti Cellar Merlot Walla Walla Valley

2008 Leonetti Cellar Merlot Walla Walla Valley

2009 Leonetti Merlot Washington

2005 Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley

2007 Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley

2007 Leonetti Cellar Reserve Walla Walla Valley

2008 Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley

2019 Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley

2020 Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley

2015 Leonetti Cellar Serra Pedace Vineyard Aglianico Walla Walla Valley

Menu

Selection of Cheese and Charcuterie

Foie Gras Tourchon with Grape Jelly and toasted Brioche

Pablano Pepper stuffed with A5 Japanese Waygu Filet Mignon and forbidden Rice served over Goat Cheese Crème and Pepper Puree

King Salmon with Ancho Chile BBQ Served over Black Bean Puree

Bourbon Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream

The fee for this tasting which includes dinner is $250 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.  Please let us know when you make your reservation if you have any food allergies or aversions and chefs Toni and Dani will be happy to accommodate you.

A bit of history about Washington State Wines:

The first people who planted grapes in Washington were the German and Italian immigrants and that was around 1825.

Chateau Ste. Michelle is Washington state’s Founding Winery, with some of the oldest and most acclaimed vineyards in the Columbia Valley.

Built on the 1912 estate owned by Seattle lumber baron Frederick Stimson, the winery’s roots date back to the Repeal of Prohibition, when the Pommerelle Wine Company and the National Wine Company were formed.  They merged in 1954 to form American Wine Growers. In 1967, American Wine Growers began a new line of premium vinifera wines called “Ste. Michelle Vintners” under the direction of legendary California winemaker Andre Tchelistcheff.



Ste. Michelle Vintners planted its first vines at Cold Creek Vineyard in Eastern Washington in 1972. Cold Creek remains one of the oldest and most renowned vineyards in the state. Ste. Michelle Vintners now own more than 3,500 prime vineyard acres in the Columbia Valley.

Some of the other founding fathers of the Washington state wine industry are- Leonetti Cellars, Woodward Canyon and Quilceda Creek.  These three producers are the first “cult wines” from Washington state and basically the second round of producers to move in.



Leonetti Cellar, which was bonded in 1977 by Founders Gary and Nancy Figgins, started as Gary’s vision to make world-class wines in Walla Walla has turned out to be a true American success story. Today, Leonetti Cellar produces some of the most sought after wines not onlyfrom Washington state but in the world.



Woodward Canyon Winery was one of the first two wineries to help put the Walla Walla Valley on Washington State's wine map.  From its first powerful 1981 cabernet sauvignon to the new releases today they have been among this state's top producers and we have actually have some of these wines in our tasting tonight!



Founded in 1979, Quilceda Creek has had an unbroken string of highly-rated vintages that has led Robert Parker Jr. to name it Washington State’s premier Cabernet Sauvignon producer with five vintages receiving (100 points) from Robert Parker Jr.'s The Wine Advocate, this is the mosxt sought after collectible.  Although we are not showing any Quilceda Creek this evening we do have several vintages available for sale after the notice of this tasting we have a list of all the Washington state wines in the store.



The industry and been expanding rapidly, Washington is the second largest wine producing state with just over 500 wineries in 2007.  Just a few short years later, today there are over 1000 with the giant Chateau St. Michelle leading the way in terms of size.