2002 SANGIOVESE
SONOMA COUNTY - SEGHESIO VINEYARDS

Tasting Notes: The wine opens aromatically to reveal a slight rhubarb quality in balance with red fruit - plums, black cherries, pomegranate, tomato - and a faint leathery note. In the mouth, rich fruit and wood are beautifully integrated, with notably fine-grained tannins contributing to an impression of easy accessibility.

Grapes: The Seghesio Vineyards of Geyserville produce Sangiovese that is refined and elegant, but have an unusual depth that is missing in many California Sangioveses. These grapes are from vines brought from Italy more than 100 years ago by the Seghesio family, who has had more than a century of experience growing Sangiovese in Sonoma County. 100% Sangiovese.

Vinification: The grapes were picked at 24º Brix on September September 9, 2002. To capture and emphasize the delicate nature of Sangiovese, we limit the temperature during fermentation, use only older barrels (Seguin Moreau and François Frères), rather than new, and do not blend with Cabernet or other reds that tend to overwhelm delicate Sangiovese fruit.

Notes from Bob Long: Our version of a Chianti Classico - American style - is all Sangiovese, unblended with other varieties and made with no new oak, only older barrels. This showcases the refined and elegant quality of Sangiovese fruit from the Seghesio Vineyards of Alexander Valley and makes a perfect match for the grilled and tomato based dishes of Tuscany. Cabernet likes the fats in foods while Sangiovese relishes the leaner, spicier, more acidic foods. We recommend decanting and warming it to room temperature before serving. This wine will age quite nicely with five - eight years.

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