The best of the 2011s, the 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon is Pauillac-like with its gorgeous creme de cassis, lead pencil shavings, tobacco leaf and graphite styled aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied, pure, silky and layered on the palate, with a broad frame and sweet tannin, it’s already approachable, yet will evolve nicely for 5-7 years and hold for a decade after that. While Chris’s 2011s are a fair step back from his smoking good 2010s, they nevertheless possess lively, fresh and elegant characters as well as solid richness. They’re certainly of high quality and worth checking out. His 2012s will be even better, and they have deeper, richer mid-palates and additional structure. Tel. (509) 525-1428; www.leonetticellar.com

Across the board, Chris’s 2011s are more linear and supple than the 2010s, without the back-end level of depth or concentration found in that vintage. Already complex and up-front, without the density found in the 2010, the 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon is still gorgeous. Loaded with leafy tobacco, cassis, saddle leather and mineral aromas and flavors, it is ripe, rounded and has sweet tannin on the finish. It should round into form with a year or two of release and have 12-15 years of ultimate longevity. Drink 2015-2026. Located in Walla Walla, made by Chris Figgins and a benchmark estate, Leonetti Cellars produces seriously rich efforts that have a perfect blend of power and finesse, with gorgeously managed tannin, seamless textures and awesome purity. While the 2010s here are some of the greatest wines of the vintage, the 2011s are more fresh, up-front and will be approachable at an earlier stage.leonetticellar.com