2018 Whitehall Lane Rassi Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley
Tasting Notes
This beautifully blended 2018 Rassi Cabernet Sauvignon is exquisitely balanced with excellent fruit concentration. On the nose, this wine offers Bing cherries, cassis, dried cranberries, black cherry cola, mixed berry jam, and a touch of brioche. The palate offers plush but delicate tannins, sweet black plums, strawberry rhubarb pie, red raspberry coulis, toasted bread, and cocoa dust that lingers on the finish. This offering is enjoyable today but will also evolve with cellar aging through 2030.
Vintage
Introducing the 2018 Rassi, our Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Named after our Rassi vineyard located on the eastern slope of Sonoma Valley just at the base of the Mayacamas Mountain range. The Leonardini family purchased the Rassi vineyard in 2012, adding it to the portfolio of great vineyards they already own. The vineyard is predominantly a gravelly sandy site, offering excellent free-draining soils that are prefect for growing Cabernet Sauvignon. Whitehall Lane and the Leonardini’s are known for making elegant, sophisticated Cabernets. The Cabernet Sauvignon comes from our Rassi vineyard in the Sonoma Valley, while the Merlot comes from our Estate vineyard in Rutherford.
Wine
Upon hand harvesting in the early morning hours, our grapes were carefully destemmed and sent to tank for a whole berry fermentation. The grapes were cold-soaked in tanks at 45˚F for 4-7 days, allowing for increased color, aroma, and flavor extraction. After inoculation with a select yeast, the grape must (juice, skins, and seeds) fermented at 82˚F, which allowed for a hot extraction on the skins. For fermentation cap management, the juice was pumped over the skins two times per day, wetting the cap evenly for a nice healthy fermentation. After fermentation and pressing, the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot were aged in 30% new French and American oak for 18 months before bottling. The final blend is 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot and was bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Specs
Vintage: 2018
Composition: 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot
Appellation: Sonoma Valley
Alcohol: 14.8%
Winemaker: Jason Moulton
2017 Whitehall Lane Leonardini Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
This 2017 Leonardini Estate wine is a quintessential Cabernet Sauvignon. It begins on the nose with rich, ripe red raspberries, blueberry compote, cassis, graphite, tobacco leaf, tar, and spice box. Its balance and mid-palate are most notable, providing long, plush tannins alongside its dense fruit character. On the palate, it delivers mixed berry pie, black plums, toasted walnuts, brioche, pencil shavings, and cedar on the finish. The beautiful underlying tannin structure, complexity, and ample fruit will evolve over time and age gracefully for 15-20 years.
Vintage
The 2017 year began with abundant rainfall, followed by a mild Spring resulting in extended flowering with little shatter. The summer warmed up nicely, allowing the fruit to mature at an even rate and make optimum conditions for flavor development. A Labor Day weekend heat event kicked harvest into high gear, then cool weather allowed sugar levels to return to normal. The grapes were harvested in mid-September and the first week in October. The Cabernet Sauvignon in this wine was harvested from our Leonardini, Millennium MM, and Fawn Park Estate vineyards.
Wine
Upon hand harvesting in the early morning hours, our Cabernet Sauvignon was carefully destemmed and sent to the tank for a whole-berry fermentation. The grapes were cold-soaked in tanks at 45˚F for 4-7 days, allowing for increased color, aroma, and flavor extraction. After inoculation, the grape must (juice, skins, and seeds) fermented at 82˚F, which allowed for a hot extraction on the skins. For fermentation cap management, we pumped juice over the skins two times per day, wetting the cap evenly for a nice healthy fermentation. After fermentation and pressing, the wine was sent to 65% new French oak, 35% neutral French oak barrels, aging for 26 months. The final blend for the Leonardini Estate is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and it was bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Specs
Vintage: 2017
Composition: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation: Napa Valley
Alcohol: 14.9%
Winemaker: Jason Moulton
What’s Included
6-bottles:
4x 2018 Whitehall Lane Rassi Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley
2x 2017 Whitehall Lane Leonardini Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
Case:
8x 2018 Whitehall Lane Rassi Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley
4x 2017 Whitehall Lane Leonardini Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
We are a small, family-owned winery in Napa Valley’s historic Rutherford appellation. We own approximately 110 acres of prime Valley-floor vineyards including the Leonardini Vineyard in St. Helena and are committed to making the finest Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Reserve wine.
The winery continues to receive accolades and awards for producing some of the greatest wines in the world. In Wine Spectator’s year-end ranking of wines, Whitehall Lane has been honored an unprecedented three times in five years for producing wines rated among the top five in the world. The winery has also been voted Winery of the Year by the Quarterly Review of Wines and Wine and Spirits Magazine.
In our short history, Whitehall Lane has developed into a world-class winery. The efforts of the Leonardini Family are evident in the recent run of accolades from wine publications but are even more apparent in the beautifully made, elegant wines we continue to make.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Whitehall Lane Cabernet Sauvignon Mix
6 bottles for $169.99 $28.33/bottle + $1.33/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $289.99 $24.17/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2018 Whitehall Lane Cabernet Sauvignon Rassi, Sonoma Valley
After a little bit of drama with UPS we finally got the rat bottle this afternoon. I opened it up nearly immediately after molarchae returned home with it. Too bad it didn’t have time to rest at all.
Looks good on opening, red-purple and a fairly standard young Cabernet appearance. Aromas are fairly closed down initially, but I’m getting hints of spices, herbs, and black pepper with a vague sense of red fruit lurking in the background. My impression is that this needs air - as any 4 year old well made Cabernet should need.
First taste this is tight as a drum. Chalky tannin is the primary impression I’m getting, and then a secondary sensation of deep red candied fruit. Medium short finish initially, but the tannins smooth out more than expected on it. The fruit turns into more cherry and plum compared to the brighter fruit suggested by the aromas. Acidity is appropriate and food-friendly. I’m also thinking this is a nice rat bottle to have received on a night I’m having short ribs for dinner!
Initial conclusion: this wine needs time in bottle and/or plenty of air, but it strikes me as a well made Cabernet that’s both approachable but has the structure to improve with at least 5 years of additional age.
Second and third glasses (small pours) are with dinner. This went ok with roasted short ribs. As the wine got more air it did continue to boh improve in its own right and as a pairing with the beef. Even three hours after opening, however, it’s still fairly shut down. I’m hoping and expecting that this opens up a lot in the next 24 hours.
As it’s opened up (and closed back down) a few times tonight I’ve noticed more nuance and interest. The fruit character also seemed less candied and more fresh (a plus in my book). At various points I got more vanilla and other oak characteristics, black tea, herbs, red fruit, and even some dust/earth. This seems to have all the stuffing that a nice Cabernet should have, but it’s just not yet come together.
As I’m just starting to sip on the fourth glass, it now comes across as smoky, perhaps a touch of barrel char? It’s certainly continuing to evolve in the bottle and glass, but I can’t help but think that it’s not yet showing its best. We’ll see what happens tomorrow.
Tonight we got to open this up with about 60% remaining and see how it was doing. I also have a friend over and molarchae is able to have a taste, but her conclusion is that the wine doesn’t go well with a sore throat.
My friend who is visiting from WA really enjoyed this. Says it’s just the kind of Cab he likes. The bottle vanished fairly quickly.
I find it’s both more well-knit and integrated but less interesting tonight. The tannins are smoothed out and the oak influence is less prominent after a day recorked on the counter. The smoke is still obvious on the finish, too, but it’s not reading as “oak” the way it was yesterday.
All in all, this is a nice daily drinker, especially at the $17.50 prorated price of this bottle. I think it will likely continue to improve for a couple years - there’s zero sign of degradation after having air for a day.
Well, this has been interesting - I’m on the east coast, so was trying to post the review at midnight my time, and as you might see, the site was down. So here goes…
It’s always good to get an email from Alice, and this time it was a request for a short-notice Lab Rat (which is a no-brainer, instantaneous YES!!)
So, the delivery showed up the day before the event was to go live (Brown does like to keep you guessing!), which meant little time for the wine to rest from its journeys, or menu arrangements to properly perform the rat duties as expected. I’m always up for the challenge…… hastening to open the box, I was delighted to see a Whitehall Lane! And it just got more interesting….
This is the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Leonardini Estate. A nice 5 year-old Napa Cab, so just entering its fullness – long enough time to not have to guess how it’s going to age and makes the experience that much more enjoyable.
So as a result of the timing for his offering, two things happened – (1) I immediately decanted the bottle to let it aerate and rest – a good 6 hours before dinner, and (2) the dinner menu got upgraded from leftovers to a NY strip, grilled, with all the trimmings.
I resisted the pop-and-pour; upon decanting, I could pick up the scent from 2 feet away, and knew I had a winner! One the nose were pleasant, hefty aromas of plum, dark fruit, black cherry, dark (not sweet) fruit, maybe blueberry/blackberry, but also a bit of mineral – flint, wet stone maybe? My menu selection was validated – a great pairing was in store!
After letting it air for a couple of hours, I could resist no longer and snuck in a quick sample. The fruit essence was confirmed, a delightful presence of the dark cherry, cassis and blackberry added to the mix. But not overly fruit forward - the balance was incredible, with the mineral tones making an entrance and confirmed the initial nose, and adding some leather, slate, but not quite the “Napa dust” in many of the wines from there. The DW suggested a slight smokiness, faint, but adding to the complexity.
At dinner, (hour 6 after opening) I poured two glasses for color and consumption. Splendid, deep, almost inky color, yet not muddied, nice legs, no sediment:
The steaks were done – medium rare for me, Medium for the DW. Broccoli and Brussel sprouts, along with the ubiquitous loaded baked potato rounded out the menu. It was a match made in heaven – not every Cab can hold up to a charcoal-grilled steak, but this was a winner indeed! A bold Cabernet indeed, plenty of heft to wrestle with the strong flavors of the meat, just astringent enough to complement a well-marbled steak, lovely mouth feel, and a finish that went on forever! This is one fantastic Cabernet!
Last pairing – dark chocolate! A good 85% Cacao with this Cabernet. It was an amazing pairing – a lesser wine would have been bowled over, but this was perfect.
I took a look at their website after forming my opinions – I got close, but also could see the other aromas/palate experiences as mentioned there.
I haven’t had a Whitehall Lane in the longest time, but it won’t be my last. This is a wine not to be missed! At $85 on their website, it’s a bit spendy, but the Casemate price makes it tempting indeed. It’s an elegant Cabernet, will certainly cellar well, and should be an essential part of any serious collection.
I was lucky enough to be contacted by Alice to be a Rat. My wife is out of town so I invited a couple of close friends to sample and provide their opinions. We had already planned a homemade pizza night for the kids so we were curios about the wine. I put the box in a cool place and decided to surprise everyone and open it up.
Oh my, a nice 2017 Whitehall Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. We immediately decanted and poured some for everyone.
We were immediately met by alcohol on the nose but not enough to obscure the blueberry, cedar, and cinnamon aromas. It was promising and one of us said that it made her immediately want to drink it.
The color was opaque purple-maroon with slight translucency on the edges. Truth be told, my mouth was watering, too.
“Formal” was the first word out of my friend’s wife after the first taste. She further explained that it was elegant. Indeed, it had good structure, nice tart red and black cherry, mild acidity, and terrific mouthfeel. Some cinnamon, which I am always a fan of.
After a half hour or so (we made a pizza in that time), the alcohol on the nose was gone and we all agreed the flavors before were more pronounced with an underlying mocha thing happening. I tasted cedar and cinnamon as an undercurrent.
Overall, this is a wine deserving a much more complex food than pizza. Had I known, I would have run out for a ribeye and some Brussels sprouts. It is, indeed a formal wine.
We called it at $50/bottle and believe it is worth it. Seeing the Casemates offer of $28+ and $24+ paired with the Rassi (which I still have a few of in my cellar and which is drinking very nicely these days), it’s a buy for special occasions.
Thanks again Alice, for the opportunity to Rat. Always a pelasure.
Ok, some quick hits…
2018 Rassi:
WE says 88 Points. Blended with 15% Merlot, this affordable red is nutty and herbal in cedar, with strong elements of toasted oak. Dark fruit presents as full bodied and deeply concentrated, with moderate structure giving it a supple foundation of power. VB 12/31/20
Spectator the 2018 Rassi:
87 Points. Direct, with cherry and plum fruit lined with savory and warm earth hints, showing a flash of tobacco on the open-knit finish. Drink now through 2022. 4,179 cases made. James Molesworth
WE on the 2017 Leonardini:
91 Points. A broad, fleshy and lengthy wine, 100% varietal, this wine is dark and brooding in black cherry and cassis, with complementary accents of crushed rock and cocoa powder. Toasted oak and vanilla round out the plush finish. VB 12/31/20
and the 2018 by Jeff Anderson, sommelier at Westside Liquor, in the St.Cloud MN Times
This iconic Napa winery has been making incredible Cabernet Sauvignon for over 40 years. The Leonardini family was able to purchase the famed Rassi vineyard in 2012. The vineyard lies at the Eastern slope of Sonoma Valley at the base of the Mayacamas Mountain range. The grapes from this single vineyard have produced many highly acclaimed wines through the years. This outstanding 2018 was aged for 18 months in oak and further bottle aged. The wine opens up with heady aromatics of dark cherry, cassis, cranberry and spice. Succulent flavors of plums, raspberry pie, cocoa, vanilla and toasty notes fill the palate. The wine has impeccable balance and finesse. This is one of the finest California Cabs for under $30 I’ve tasted this year. Pair with: filet mignon, grilled ribeye, braised short ribs, leg of lamb or with an aged hard cheese.
Spectator the 2017 Leonardini:
92 Points. This has an intriguing mix of loganberry, plum and açaí berry fruit flavors stitched together with hints of warm mocha, tar, tobacco and melted licorice. The long, lush finish will have lots of fans. Drink now through 2030. 1,076 cases made. James Molesworth
Advocate 2017 Leonardini:
89-91 Points. A barrel sample, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Leonardini Estate is opaque garnet-purple in color and opens with notes of warm cassis, espresso, fried herbs and cigars with a waft of roasted nuts. The palate is full-bodied, firm and chewy with good concentration if straightforward, finishing with good length. LPB 10/19
Suckling 2017:
93 Points. A full-bodied red with aromas and flavors of dried violets, blackcurrants, cloves and some crushed gravel. Chocolate and caramel, too, yet it stays fresh and polished. Firm, fine-grained tannins. Try from 2023.
Also, the 2017 not to be confused with the Leonardini Vineyard bottling at $125.
2018 Whitehall Lane Rassi Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley
Let me preface this by saying that I’ve had the Napa Cab from the previous offer. I don’t have notes on it, but if I remember correctly it was quite different from this Sonoma Valley Rassi. It was much more Napa’y if you know what I mean. If the Leonardi is more like the Napa cab, your probably getting two totally different wines with this offer.
But enough speculation, here is what I do know. The wine was a deep ruby with traces of purple. It matched this oxblood couch so well that I didn’t have to worry about spilling it.
The first pour nose was a cranberry, cherry, plum, blackcurrant compote sweating alcohol. Hot and fruit forward. A swirl left a lasting coating on the glass. It smelled tight. Something about it told me I should go grab the decanter.
The first taste confirmed my suspicion. Alcohol and tannins were overpowering. Acidity was medium high. The same fruit notes were all there, but were overpowered by oak, a mixed black & red pepper mill, and vanilla extract. The finish was exceptionally long. Quite bitter at first and left a lingering taste of wood and graphite. Like after chewing on a number 2 pencil in elementary school.
I left it to decant and have with dinner that evening. Probably about 2-3 hours. The wine opened a bit, but probably could have used even longer. I ran it through a Vinturi a couple of times and that helped. The vanilla tasted less like extract and the fruit caught up to the rest of the flavors giving it far more balance. I was surprised to see that this has Merlot in it and not Malbec.
I served with steak frites. The steak was a fatty tri tip. This was a good right choice as the wine begged for fat. My wife prefers light, sweet, and fruity wines. She didn’t like this one at all at first, however, she and I both found it very enjoyable with dinner.
I put some back in the bottle for the next day and it is slightly softer. I really think this wine just needs more time. It is complex and sophisticated, but too aggressive right now for the naked tongue.
@klezman That is probably true. I just took another sip and the smoke and charred oak you mentioned are what’s jumping out. I should have said “for MY naked tongue”.
I told a few people about this offer. They pulled up the offer page, which has The Great Leonardini, Tasting notes 2017 and 2018. Although there are pictures of two different looking labels. They thought they were getting Leonardini. Even when you go to order, it does not indicate the breakdown for the offer, i.e. 4/8 of one and 2/4 of the other. I concur with their confusion.
@jmdavidson1 This site often has clever writing in the offer page using wordplay or a reference to historical events or characters, in this case Harry Houdini. the text of the 2018 does say Rassi, as does the photo. And “mix” is on the title and order page. So to me there was clearly some Rassi in the mix.
The “2018 tasting note” from story write-up.
2018 - “This beautifully blended 2018 Rassi Cabernet Sauvignon is exquisitely balanced with excellent fruit concentration.
But I’d agree the uneven splits are something I’m not fond of, (2:1 in this case), though I understand why they do that to move both products and create a moderate price offer. And on this one the split detail is only mentioned on the comments page, where you should always look for specifics of the offer.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
Whitehall Lane Cabernet Sauvignon Mix - $50 = 14.70%
2018 Whitehall Lane Rassi Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley
Tasting Notes
Vintage
Wine
Specs
2017 Whitehall Lane Leonardini Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
93 Points - James Suckling
92 Points - Wine Spectator
91 Points – Wine Enthusiast
91 Points - Decanter
89-91 Points - Wine Advocate
Tasting Notes
Vintage
Wine
Specs
What’s Included
6-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
Not for sale online, $612/case MSRP
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Nov 21 - Tuesday, Nov 22
Whitehall Lane Cabernet Sauvignon Mix
6 bottles for $169.99 $28.33/bottle + $1.33/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $289.99 $24.17/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2018 Whitehall Lane Rassi Cabernet Sauvignon
2017 Whitehall Lane Leonardini Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Is anybody else having trouble with the site tonight? It’s not been working for me much…
@klezman meh-rathon
@klezman Yes. Trying to buy this deal and no luck.
@ilCesare So basically an invited DoS
@klezman yes it was down for at least an hour? after midnight
@klezman @ttboy23
Yup, the mod channel blew up with comments/questions. Fully a cross site issue.
2018 Whitehall Lane Cabernet Sauvignon Rassi, Sonoma Valley
After a little bit of drama with UPS we finally got the rat bottle this afternoon. I opened it up nearly immediately after molarchae returned home with it. Too bad it didn’t have time to rest at all.
Looks good on opening, red-purple and a fairly standard young Cabernet appearance. Aromas are fairly closed down initially, but I’m getting hints of spices, herbs, and black pepper with a vague sense of red fruit lurking in the background. My impression is that this needs air - as any 4 year old well made Cabernet should need.
First taste this is tight as a drum. Chalky tannin is the primary impression I’m getting, and then a secondary sensation of deep red candied fruit. Medium short finish initially, but the tannins smooth out more than expected on it. The fruit turns into more cherry and plum compared to the brighter fruit suggested by the aromas. Acidity is appropriate and food-friendly. I’m also thinking this is a nice rat bottle to have received on a night I’m having short ribs for dinner!
Initial conclusion: this wine needs time in bottle and/or plenty of air, but it strikes me as a well made Cabernet that’s both approachable but has the structure to improve with at least 5 years of additional age.
Second and third glasses (small pours) are with dinner. This went ok with roasted short ribs. As the wine got more air it did continue to boh improve in its own right and as a pairing with the beef. Even three hours after opening, however, it’s still fairly shut down. I’m hoping and expecting that this opens up a lot in the next 24 hours.
As it’s opened up (and closed back down) a few times tonight I’ve noticed more nuance and interest. The fruit character also seemed less candied and more fresh (a plus in my book). At various points I got more vanilla and other oak characteristics, black tea, herbs, red fruit, and even some dust/earth. This seems to have all the stuffing that a nice Cabernet should have, but it’s just not yet come together.
As I’m just starting to sip on the fourth glass, it now comes across as smoky, perhaps a touch of barrel char? It’s certainly continuing to evolve in the bottle and glass, but I can’t help but think that it’s not yet showing its best. We’ll see what happens tomorrow.
Forgot to put this image up last night.
enter image description here
Night two tasting notes!
Tonight we got to open this up with about 60% remaining and see how it was doing. I also have a friend over and molarchae is able to have a taste, but her conclusion is that the wine doesn’t go well with a sore throat.
My friend who is visiting from WA really enjoyed this. Says it’s just the kind of Cab he likes. The bottle vanished fairly quickly.
I find it’s both more well-knit and integrated but less interesting tonight. The tannins are smoothed out and the oak influence is less prominent after a day recorked on the counter. The smoke is still obvious on the finish, too, but it’s not reading as “oak” the way it was yesterday.
All in all, this is a nice daily drinker, especially at the $17.50 prorated price of this bottle. I think it will likely continue to improve for a couple years - there’s zero sign of degradation after having air for a day.
Well, this has been interesting - I’m on the east coast, so was trying to post the review at midnight my time, and as you might see, the site was down. So here goes…
It’s always good to get an email from Alice, and this time it was a request for a short-notice Lab Rat (which is a no-brainer, instantaneous YES!!)
So, the delivery showed up the day before the event was to go live (Brown does like to keep you guessing!), which meant little time for the wine to rest from its journeys, or menu arrangements to properly perform the rat duties as expected. I’m always up for the challenge…… hastening to open the box, I was delighted to see a Whitehall Lane! And it just got more interesting….
This is the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Leonardini Estate. A nice 5 year-old Napa Cab, so just entering its fullness – long enough time to not have to guess how it’s going to age and makes the experience that much more enjoyable.
So as a result of the timing for his offering, two things happened – (1) I immediately decanted the bottle to let it aerate and rest – a good 6 hours before dinner, and (2) the dinner menu got upgraded from leftovers to a NY strip, grilled, with all the trimmings.
I resisted the pop-and-pour; upon decanting, I could pick up the scent from 2 feet away, and knew I had a winner! One the nose were pleasant, hefty aromas of plum, dark fruit, black cherry, dark (not sweet) fruit, maybe blueberry/blackberry, but also a bit of mineral – flint, wet stone maybe? My menu selection was validated – a great pairing was in store!
After letting it air for a couple of hours, I could resist no longer and snuck in a quick sample. The fruit essence was confirmed, a delightful presence of the dark cherry, cassis and blackberry added to the mix. But not overly fruit forward - the balance was incredible, with the mineral tones making an entrance and confirmed the initial nose, and adding some leather, slate, but not quite the “Napa dust” in many of the wines from there. The DW suggested a slight smokiness, faint, but adding to the complexity.
At dinner, (hour 6 after opening) I poured two glasses for color and consumption. Splendid, deep, almost inky color, yet not muddied, nice legs, no sediment:
The steaks were done – medium rare for me, Medium for the DW. Broccoli and Brussel sprouts, along with the ubiquitous loaded baked potato rounded out the menu. It was a match made in heaven – not every Cab can hold up to a charcoal-grilled steak, but this was a winner indeed! A bold Cabernet indeed, plenty of heft to wrestle with the strong flavors of the meat, just astringent enough to complement a well-marbled steak, lovely mouth feel, and a finish that went on forever! This is one fantastic Cabernet!
Last pairing – dark chocolate! A good 85% Cacao with this Cabernet. It was an amazing pairing – a lesser wine would have been bowled over, but this was perfect.
I took a look at their website after forming my opinions – I got close, but also could see the other aromas/palate experiences as mentioned there.
I haven’t had a Whitehall Lane in the longest time, but it won’t be my last. This is a wine not to be missed! At $85 on their website, it’s a bit spendy, but the Casemate price makes it tempting indeed. It’s an elegant Cabernet, will certainly cellar well, and should be an essential part of any serious collection.
I was lucky enough to be contacted by Alice to be a Rat. My wife is out of town so I invited a couple of close friends to sample and provide their opinions. We had already planned a homemade pizza night for the kids so we were curios about the wine. I put the box in a cool place and decided to surprise everyone and open it up.
Oh my, a nice 2017 Whitehall Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. We immediately decanted and poured some for everyone.
We were immediately met by alcohol on the nose but not enough to obscure the blueberry, cedar, and cinnamon aromas. It was promising and one of us said that it made her immediately want to drink it.
The color was opaque purple-maroon with slight translucency on the edges. Truth be told, my mouth was watering, too.
“Formal” was the first word out of my friend’s wife after the first taste. She further explained that it was elegant. Indeed, it had good structure, nice tart red and black cherry, mild acidity, and terrific mouthfeel. Some cinnamon, which I am always a fan of.
After a half hour or so (we made a pizza in that time), the alcohol on the nose was gone and we all agreed the flavors before were more pronounced with an underlying mocha thing happening. I tasted cedar and cinnamon as an undercurrent.
Overall, this is a wine deserving a much more complex food than pizza. Had I known, I would have run out for a ribeye and some Brussels sprouts. It is, indeed a formal wine.
We called it at $50/bottle and believe it is worth it. Seeing the Casemates offer of $28+ and $24+ paired with the Rassi (which I still have a few of in my cellar and which is drinking very nicely these days), it’s a buy for special occasions.
Thanks again Alice, for the opportunity to Rat. Always a pelasure.
Ok, some quick hits…
2018 Rassi:
WE says 88 Points. Blended with 15% Merlot, this affordable red is nutty and herbal in cedar, with strong elements of toasted oak. Dark fruit presents as full bodied and deeply concentrated, with moderate structure giving it a supple foundation of power. VB 12/31/20
Spectator the 2018 Rassi:
87 Points. Direct, with cherry and plum fruit lined with savory and warm earth hints, showing a flash of tobacco on the open-knit finish. Drink now through 2022. 4,179 cases made. James Molesworth
WE on the 2017 Leonardini:
91 Points. A broad, fleshy and lengthy wine, 100% varietal, this wine is dark and brooding in black cherry and cassis, with complementary accents of crushed rock and cocoa powder. Toasted oak and vanilla round out the plush finish. VB 12/31/20
and the 2018 by Jeff Anderson, sommelier at Westside Liquor, in the St.Cloud MN Times
This iconic Napa winery has been making incredible Cabernet Sauvignon for over 40 years. The Leonardini family was able to purchase the famed Rassi vineyard in 2012. The vineyard lies at the Eastern slope of Sonoma Valley at the base of the Mayacamas Mountain range. The grapes from this single vineyard have produced many highly acclaimed wines through the years. This outstanding 2018 was aged for 18 months in oak and further bottle aged. The wine opens up with heady aromatics of dark cherry, cassis, cranberry and spice. Succulent flavors of plums, raspberry pie, cocoa, vanilla and toasty notes fill the palate. The wine has impeccable balance and finesse. This is one of the finest California Cabs for under $30 I’ve tasted this year. Pair with: filet mignon, grilled ribeye, braised short ribs, leg of lamb or with an aged hard cheese.
Spectator the 2017 Leonardini:
92 Points. This has an intriguing mix of loganberry, plum and açaí berry fruit flavors stitched together with hints of warm mocha, tar, tobacco and melted licorice. The long, lush finish will have lots of fans. Drink now through 2030. 1,076 cases made. James Molesworth
Advocate 2017 Leonardini:
89-91 Points. A barrel sample, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Leonardini Estate is opaque garnet-purple in color and opens with notes of warm cassis, espresso, fried herbs and cigars with a waft of roasted nuts. The palate is full-bodied, firm and chewy with good concentration if straightforward, finishing with good length. LPB 10/19
Suckling 2017:
93 Points. A full-bodied red with aromas and flavors of dried violets, blackcurrants, cloves and some crushed gravel. Chocolate and caramel, too, yet it stays fresh and polished. Firm, fine-grained tannins. Try from 2023.
Also, the 2017 not to be confused with the Leonardini Vineyard bottling at $125.
fwiw
@kaolis this would have been a fun one to taste/rat side by side!
In for a case. Hoping Brown doesn’t drop this one. Had 2 disappointing notifications that shipment was damaged and being returned.
2018 Whitehall Lane Rassi Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley
Let me preface this by saying that I’ve had the Napa Cab from the previous offer. I don’t have notes on it, but if I remember correctly it was quite different from this Sonoma Valley Rassi. It was much more Napa’y if you know what I mean. If the Leonardi is more like the Napa cab, your probably getting two totally different wines with this offer.
But enough speculation, here is what I do know. The wine was a deep ruby with traces of purple. It matched this oxblood couch so well that I didn’t have to worry about spilling it.
The first pour nose was a cranberry, cherry, plum, blackcurrant compote sweating alcohol. Hot and fruit forward. A swirl left a lasting coating on the glass. It smelled tight. Something about it told me I should go grab the decanter.
The first taste confirmed my suspicion. Alcohol and tannins were overpowering. Acidity was medium high. The same fruit notes were all there, but were overpowered by oak, a mixed black & red pepper mill, and vanilla extract. The finish was exceptionally long. Quite bitter at first and left a lingering taste of wood and graphite. Like after chewing on a number 2 pencil in elementary school.
I left it to decant and have with dinner that evening. Probably about 2-3 hours. The wine opened a bit, but probably could have used even longer. I ran it through a Vinturi a couple of times and that helped. The vanilla tasted less like extract and the fruit caught up to the rest of the flavors giving it far more balance. I was surprised to see that this has Merlot in it and not Malbec.
I served with steak frites. The steak was a fatty tri tip. This was a good right choice as the wine begged for fat. My wife prefers light, sweet, and fruity wines. She didn’t like this one at all at first, however, she and I both found it very enjoyable with dinner.
I put some back in the bottle for the next day and it is slightly softer. I really think this wine just needs more time. It is complex and sophisticated, but too aggressive right now for the naked tongue.
@char2na You are clearly more sensitive to the oak in this bottle than I was.
@klezman That is probably true. I just took another sip and the smoke and charred oak you mentioned are what’s jumping out. I should have said “for MY naked tongue”.
I told a few people about this offer. They pulled up the offer page, which has The Great Leonardini, Tasting notes 2017 and 2018. Although there are pictures of two different looking labels. They thought they were getting Leonardini. Even when you go to order, it does not indicate the breakdown for the offer, i.e. 4/8 of one and 2/4 of the other. I concur with their confusion.
@jmdavidson1 This site often has clever writing in the offer page using wordplay or a reference to historical events or characters, in this case Harry Houdini. the text of the 2018 does say Rassi, as does the photo. And “mix” is on the title and order page. So to me there was clearly some Rassi in the mix.
The “2018 tasting note” from story write-up.
But I’d agree the uneven splits are something I’m not fond of, (2:1 in this case), though I understand why they do that to move both products and create a moderate price offer. And on this one the split detail is only mentioned on the comments page, where you should always look for specifics of the offer.
@pmarin While obvious to those of us who frequent the website, but not so to newcomers.
@jmdavidson1 ummmm…if you’re the one who referred the offer to your friends, perhaps you should have been sure on what you were recommending to them…
@kaolis I recommended that they buy, of course.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
Whitehall Lane Cabernet Sauvignon Mix - $50 = 14.70%