Mission Codename Don't Worry B. Happy
“I could sit down with friends and drink the sh#t out of this wine. What are you waiting for?” – B. Leighton
Yea. Totally, Brennan.
In fact, Agent Noir took pulled an Irish goodbye after the tasting, took the sample home, and did just that.
Charles Smith and his right-hand man Brennan Leighton hardly need an introduction. They’re minted in the winemaking Hall of Fame already.
Robert Parker was once caught confessing “One of my favorite tastings during my Washington trip is with Charles Smith and his right-hand man, Brenna Leighton. They have one of the most stacked lineups out there… As I’ve said in the past, these wines are the real deal!”
High praise from the man himself! But people pay less attention to Brennon’s own lineup which is made in such tiny quantities they’re tough to find.
This here? PRIME example. This vintage didn’t get reviewed for some reason, but this wine consistently rates in the mid 90s from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate and Jeb Dunnuck who said, “you don’t find Petit Verdot with this level of finesse very often.”
Obviously, a ridiculous HALF price from us.
Speaking of stacked lineups, last Friday we tasted around 30+ wines. This stood out among some very serious (and pricey) competition. Petit Verdot tends to be a blending grape - tannic and unruly - this has some voodoo magic work done to it. It’s BIG and dense, but supple and soft. Just packed with warm cassis, dusty cherries, crushed violets, blueberry syrup, and sweet tobacco. It’s polished but no make mistake, this heavyweight red is not for the faint-hearted…
Seriously, wine of the year material. All the finesse, no fuss from a serious BADA$$ and at a CRAZY price.
Scored big yes, internally, externally, and with equally compelling social buzz. We just hope whoever wrote “will be tracking down this bottle like a stalker” is on our list. If they are not, more for you and us. Because at this price? Ooooweee everyone is happy.
So, um… what are you waiting for, imminent sellout?!
What the Winery Says
2018 Olsen Brothers Vineyard Yakima Valley Petit Verdot
- Winemaker
- Brennon Leighton
- Varietal
- 100% Petit Verdot
- Vintage
- 2018
- Alcohol
- 14.0%
- Appellation
- Yakima Valley, Washington
- Vineyard
- Olsen Brothers Vineyard
- Yield
- 1.8 tons/acre
- Maceration
- 31 days on skins
- Titratable acidity
- 5.9 g/L
- pH
- 3.83
- Aging
- 22 months on lees
- Barrels
- 41% new French oak barriques