Former Screaming Eagle Winemaker Crafts a “Big, Full-Bodied, Velvety” Red for a Bargain Price!
One of the most celebrated big reds at Vin Chicago is back! Following a wine like the 2021 Leviathan is no small feat, but Andy Erickson has done so, toting even more Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend this year.
“Surprisingly, the 2022 Leviathan may outshine the 2021 vintage. Velvety textured, fruit forward and long on the finish, it's a fun, easy-drinking wine at a regular-person price.”
- Wine Advocate (October 2024)
The 2022 vintage in California created ample, front-loaded wines that lean directly into the kind of forward, indulgent and yummy style that Andy strives for at Leviathan.
In their writeup, Wine Advocate takes a jab at a few quite popular wines that achieve their color and perceived impact by means other than meticulous work in the vineyard and winery. Having crafted Screaming Eagle, Harlan, Staglin and Favia, Andy takes no shortcuts when crafting his wines.
At our best-ever price of $28.79, the 2022 Leviathan exemplifies everything we love about the pleasure-packed style of California Cabernet. Read on for the full story, including Wine Advocate's full-throated tasting notes, then click on the Big Green Button to get in on the fun!
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2022 Leviathan Cabernet Sauvignon!
California
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Andy has pumped up the amount of Cabernet Sauvignon in this year's blend to the point where it could legally be labeled as a Cabernet. The results are impressive.
This "velvety textured, fruit forward" red comes from four choice vineyards dense in volcanic soils, including Obsidian Ridge Vineyard in the Red Hills of Lake County and Faust Vineyard in Napa's Coombsville District.
Aged for 15 months in French oak barrels (25% new) and absolutely loaded with smoked plum, crème de mûre, raspberry, Luxardo cherries, sun-kissed scrubland herbs and a tipple of cedar and dark chocolate, the 2022 Leviathan could embarrass a lot of popular players in the sub-$100 Napa Valley Cabernet market.
This delicious red is intense enough to stop you in your tracks at first taste, and so supple and velvety that you have to keep coming back for more. Awarding 92+ points, we rate it even a hair higher than Wine Advocate, who writes this smoking review...
"Surprisingly, the 2022 Leviathan Red Wine may outshine the 2021 vintage. A blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petite Sirah, 6% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Syrah and 2% Petit Verdot, it's loaded with black cherries and cassis. Still not overly complex, it's a big, full-bodied and crowd-pleasing red wine that proves you don't need to have residual sugar or use Mega Purple to fill this niche. Velvety textured, fruit forward and long on the finish, it's a fun, easy-drinking wine at a regular-person price."
- 92 Points, Wine Advocate (10/17/2024)
Wine Advocate quotes $40. Looking today, there are 193 online retail prices for this hot new vintage. Our price beats all but three, and smokes the $36 average! This is monstrous value for such a pleasing, opulent wine - from a rockstar producer!
Vin Chicago Price: 28.79
