Though the 2001 was exceedingly tannic, the 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon is superb. Its cassis liqueur, blackberry, and spice aromas lead to a juicy, fresh, hugely ripe personality of exceptional purity and length. Blackberries, black currants, and dark cherries vie with spices and oak for the taster’s attention. A complex, highly expressive, vibrant wine with a delightfully long, suave finish, it is a candidate for drinking over the next 10-14 years. Tel. (509) 525-1428; www.leonetticellar.com

Leonetti continues to hit the high marks it sets for itself in this, its 25th vintage. The Walla Walla Cab includes 10% Merlot and small batches of Cab Franc and Carmenere. The astonishing, classic Leonetti aromas of penetrating, ripe black fruits, cedar, coffee and chocolate are there in spades, but the overall impression is that the oak has been pulled back just a bit, or perhaps the fruit is just that much riper. Violets and lead pencil continue the stream of sensuous highlights, as the wine winds into its pungent, densely saturated finish. ——P.G.(12/15/2005)—— 94