2011 Sangiovese Alegría Vineyards

2011 Sangiovese Alegría Vineyards

Best of Class of Region & Gold Medal - 2014 California State Fair Wine Competition

Tasting Notes

Inviting, gentle aromas of spicy plum and dried rose petals mingle with enticing vanillin oak and earth notes. A rich, smooth entry flows into bright acidity that frames the wine. Ripe plum, cherry, pomegranate, and rhubarb fuse with plush mocha, vanilla, and toasty oak. The combination of flavors makes this wine ideal for pairing with almost any meal or occasion.

Winemaker's Notes

Sangiovese was first planted in our vineyards 63 years ago by Americo Rafanelli. Finding his old Sangiovese vines thriving amongst the Zinfandel inspired us to take cuttings from those vines, and six other Sangiovese selections, to plant a new vineyard on the west-facing slope of our Acorn Hill in 1992. Our hillside field blend includes two other Tuscan varieties: Canaiolo (to add velvety texture) and Mammolo (to add the aroma of violets).

2011 gave us a cool growing season. Early rains required us to meticulously hand sort the fruit, selecting only the undamaged, evenly ripened grapes for this wine.

We fermented the grapes with native and Brunello yeast and aged the wine in a combination of American, French, and Hungarian oak barrels that Bill selected to compliment and elevate the grapes’ characteristic flavors.

Co-fermented and aged together, the three varietals interacted to create complex and nuanced flavors and aromas. During the early months of barrel aging, we stirred the lees to enhance body and mouthfeel. We reduced the time in barrel and bottled earlier than usual, to preserve the fresh flavors of this wine.

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AppellationRussian River Valley
Sonoma County
Varietal98% Sangiovese
(7 different clones),
1% Canaiolo,
1% Mammolo
Pairing Enjoy this versatile, easy drinking Sangiovese with both everyday fare and special meals. It pairs well with salmon, spaghetti Bolognese, wild mushroom lasagna, and sausage pizza.
Alcohol13.60%
Bottle750ml
Cases387
ph Level3.5
TA6.5 g/L