Seghesio, Alexander Valley Sangiovese
Country: USA Region: California Vintage: 2013
Category: Red Wine Color: Red
Producer: Seghesio
"Now owned by Crimson Wine Group, who own Pine Ridge, Seghesio remains focused on its family roots with Ted Seghesio making better wines than ever before.
The astonishing concentration of flavours that Seghesio achieve in their wines can be attributed to the age of the vineyards, some of which were established as far back as 1895. Italian consultant Alberto Antonini has
assisted in improving the quality of their Sangiovese (which is sourced from the oldest vineyards of the variety in California) and his influence can also be seen in the ripe, juicy, approachable style of Zinfandel that has become Seghesio's hallmark.
Displaying freshness, purity of fruit, balance and elegance that can be difficult to achieve with the variety, the Seghesio Zinfandels have scooped Trophies and Gold medals at the Decanter World Wine Awards and International Wine Challenge for a number of recent years.
Although best known for their reds, Seghesio also produces a delicious Arneis, another traditional Italian variety, which is sealed under stelvin to retain its superb aromatic character."
Product Features: Sustainable;Vegetarian
Winemaker: Andy Robinson
Vineyards:
The fruit for this wine comes from two of the estate vineyards - Home Ranch and Rattlesnake Hill in Alexander Valley. Long, warm days aided by the absence of marine influence marks this site. The soils are composed of clay and clay loam with underlying layers of basalt, sandstone and serpentine rock. Vines are challenged by the low nutrient level of the clay and the shallow topsoil, which both force them to produce more concentrated fruit.
Vinification:
The grapes were sorted as whole clusters and gently de-stemmed on the sorting table. Whole berries were then sorted by hand to remove green material and bits of stems. The grapes were then crushed and fermented in small open-top, stainless steel tanks and punched down by hand. Maceration time varied from 8 to 12 days. The wine was aged in French oak barrels, 20% of which were new, for 15 months.
Tasting Notes:
Concentrated dark cherry and red plum notes with hints of anise. A cool palate with nice acidity, and a lingering finish intermingles fruit and Sangiovese’s dusty tannins.
Food Suggestion: A good match for red or mushroom-based sauces, pasta, roast lamb and hard cheeses.
Closure: Natural Cork ABV:14.8%
