Sangiovese has a long history of being widely planted in Italy, particularly in Tuscany where it is used in Chianti production. The grape was brought to California by Italian settlers during the Gold Rush in the late 1800s. Amador County’s warm summer days and rocky shallow soils are well suited to the varietal but it is not without considerable attention and effort that we are able to craft a classic bottling. Sangiovese tends to overcropand the resulting fruit lacks color, flavor, aroma, and character. Sangiovese clusters can develop wings of less mature berries after budbreak. The large awkward oblong clusters of thin skinned berries tendto grow on top of one another, creating an opportunity for rot. Montevina’s shallow topsoil helps prevent plant vigor; but nevertheless, Vineyard Manager Kevin Steward and his crew groom the Sangiovese vineyards two to three times after verasiondropping clusters to minimize crop and increase concentration and color. Sangiovese’sreddish berries are notoriously thin skinned and as such highly susceptible to sunburn. Careful care is taken with trellising and irrigation to maintain a healthy canopy to shade the finicky fruit.
Sangiovese is equally high maintenance in the cellar. Sangioveseis a rather full figured grape, but it’s what’s inside that really counts…and that’s a lot of juice. Because all the yummy stuff in wine is extracted from the skins and suspended in the juice, bigger is not necessarily better. We saignee our Sangiovese before crushing, meaning we “bleed”off juice before processing the fruit and sending it to the fermentor. This “juice diet”increases concentration of flavor. During fermentation tanks are drained and returned daily to extract as much color as possible from the thin red skins without extracting too much harsh seed tannin. Finally, we take a page from the cellars of Italy…we blend. The 2006 Terra d’Oro Sangiovese was co-fermented with eighteen percent Barbera to deepen the color, soften tannin, and bring forward more fruit in the finished wine. After pressing, the wine was aged fourteen months in a combination of French and American Oak, fifteen percent new.
2006 Terra d’Oro Sangiovese is a testament to diligence and hard work paid inthe cellar. The garnet hue of Sangiovese is deepened by Barbera’s rich purple pigment. A base of spiced cider aromas of clove and nutmeg are built upon by complex aromas of leather, pekoe tea, and anise. Flavors of red plum, apple, and black cherry stewed fruitspiced with cinnamon, vanilla bean, and licorice entice your pallet. The finish brimming with fruit and spice ends with a kiss of sweet oak. Co-fermenting with Barbera results in a silky mouthfeel and food-friendly acidity that ensures a successful pairing with anything off the menu. Pair 2006 Terra d’Oro Sangiovese with hearty Cioppino, Duck Breast with a velvety plum reduction, or your favorite pizza.
