Mission Codename Hidden no more...
Grab some of this wine while you still can. We predict that it will sell out.
Today’s Leto Cellars 2014 St. Helena Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is one of those wines that you’ll take one sip of and say to yourself, “How can I get more of this gem?!” That was the unanimous chorus that was sung by our recent tasting panel. This exciting wine is a deep, rich, and concentrated with great weight, and complex flavor.
With a magenta lip, this dark garnet Cab is a beauty in the glass. The bouquet that rises out of it is complex, replete with woody notes of cedar and cigar box, potpourri, cranberry, with an alluring grassy fennel note. On the palate, the wine is outstanding, with rich mocha, milk chocolate, and caramel flavors up front, which transition gracefully into fruit nuances of plum compote with a savory cardamom finish. This wine is self-assured, sitting heavily across the palate with tannin most pronounced along the bottom of the tongue and gums. The finish is long and graceful, revealing different flavors as time passes. Sometimes a heavy red wine can pair well with robust seafood. This Cabernet Sauvignon would do surprisingly well with a flavorful cioppino.
This wine was made by Brad Warner, who spent nearly three decades running wine production at Robert Mondavi. Prior, he was a cellar rat at Charles Krug, where he learned, first hand, the rigors of large-scale wine production. Brad is also a prolific inventor, having created such marvels as the Airocide air purifier, which was developed by NASA to provide a germ-free environment in the Space Shuttle. Today, Brad focuses his considerable talents on his small-production Leto label.
The St. Helena AVA (or Saint Helena AVA) is an American Viticultural Area located within Napa Valley, centered on the town of St. Helena, California. The appellation covers 9,000 acres along the flat narrow land towards the northern end of the valley between the Vaca and Mayacamas Mountains. Charles Krug, one of pioneers of Napa Valley winemaking, opened his winery here in 1861. The AVA hosts more than 80 wineries, including today’s.
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Here’s what the wine press has to say
95 Points - Kevin M. Vogt, Master Sommelier - “The 2014 Leto is a deeply penetrating and gorgeously styled Napa Valley Cabernet with enticing aromas of blackberry tart, cassis, pencil lead, tobacco leaf and rocky minerals. These aromatics blend seamlessly with a saturating palate of red and black cherries, crushed blueberries, dried sage and a hint of camphor. The tannins are velvety yet slightly firm and the flavors supple and rich yet mouth quenching at the same time. A nicely balanced acid profile keeps all of the rich fruit in check so they all meld into a beautifully complete Cabernet that has style, elegance, weight and length. What more could you want?“ “
What the Winery Says
2014 St. Helena Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
- Winemaker
- Brad Warner
- Varietal
- 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
- Vintage
- 2014
- Appellation
- St. Helena, Napa Valley
- Abv
- 14.5%
- Aging
- Aged 22 months in French Oak
- Picked
- by hand
- Watered
- Dry farmed
- Acid
- Natural
- Fermentation
- Native
- Bottles
- September 2015
- Released
- March 2018
- Enjoy by
- 2030