Sangiovese Taste Off – Episode #439

April 8, 2008

Sangiovese is a grape that has thrived in Italy and we are seeing many California wineries take to the grape as well, who will win this battle ROYAL?

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Comments on this episode(223) Leave a comment ›

“Nice show. I have had a 3 case love affair with the 04 Casanova di ne…” by Tom
“Love the Mr. Wizard action going on! That kind of makes me want to go …” by Dessert Wine Nerd
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Wines tasted in this episode:

2006 Casanova Di Neri Rosso Di MontalcinoRosso di Montalcino
2005 Luna Napa SangioveseNapa Italian Varieties

223 Responses

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April 9, 2008

Justin L Ove
Head 2 Head becomes Hand in Hand.

QOTD: Had a Sangiovese/Cab sauv blend by Seghesio called Ommagio. It was great! Super dry, but delivered true, massive fruit.
How about the Nozzole?
I WANT MY MOTT T-SHIRT
April 9, 2008

JordanW
QOTD: No, can’t say I’m down with Italy. When it isn’t bone dry it’s too thin. I guess I need to explore it more, but I’ve been disappointed.
April 9, 2008

salvatore
Frescobaldi Nipozzano Reserva Chianti Rufina 2004—– Delicious

QPR= AAAAA+++++ Buy this one; you will sing a happy song thst you did!

Lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng finish; tasted this 15 minutes after drinking.

Rich dark berries, chocolate,cigar box……..
April 9, 2008

YoungDave
QOTD: Good Sangio is tough to come by for me these days, but I did have a CRAZILY over-oaked version from Foxen recently that PISSED ME OFF. Solid spicy nose, then I chewed on a freshly cut oak 2×4. No bueno.
April 9, 2008

Harry Hertchuk
QOTD: Ruffino Chianti Classico Riserva Ducale Oro vertical 1977/85/90/95/2001 w. Sandhill Small Lots Sangiovese 05 Okanagan, BC & others @ Vancouver Winefest Sangiovese seminarium…Will Tuscany’s Signature Grape Go Global?… http://www.playhousewinefest.com/page206.htm …PS – blending open bottles is the future…Balance is king…long live balance!
April 9, 2008

Clifford
Loved the impromptu scientific experiment!

QOTD: The only Sangiovese that I’ve had was a few months ago at some Santa Barbara County wine tastings, but nothing knocked my socks off.
April 9, 2008

Leif Sundstrom
funny thing is i decanted a bottle of 1997 Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Poggio Alle Mura 3 hours ago, while i was out doing some work, came home poured a glass and then turned on WLTV, what a coincidence! and this is a nice bottle. not the best brunello i’ve had but oh so nice all the same. so …

QOTD 1997 Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Poggio Alle Mura .

oh yeah.
April 9, 2008

Micha
QOTD: LOVE Sangiovese? HATE Sangiovese? In my case something im between. This Grape is small with a thick skin, so it tends to have more tannin and accidity. In general, i like the aromatics of sangiovese, very food-friendly, and most are very true, but they need time. May favorites so far are La Brancaia, Argiano, Bartali..
April 9, 2008

RickD
Dude! This was a GREAT show. Mixing 2 bad wines to try to save it – instant classic! Are you authentic – hell yes! Things are better when they are not perfect. Hope you like the next wines a little better.
April 9, 2008

Miguel Cavalcanti
QOTD Heck yeah! I’m nibbling TJ’s caponata and sipping Ferrero ‘05 Rosso di Montalcino as I write. And that’s where you went wrong–sangiovese is always a FOOD wine, not a solo sipper.

I agree with others that California is not a primo SG producer, but I enjoyed many Atlas Peak wines a few years back when Antinori SA was involved.

Ad hoc blending is great. I often do so with rieslings and agree with whoever earlier suggested a riesling show sometime soon.
April 9, 2008

Rhonda
heck yes mix it up One of my favorite summer drinks is a shandy, beer and lemonade. Someone had to put those two things in one glass to create that happiness!!
April 9, 2008

Robert
I am surprised about the oak monster being present with such a long aging in French oak, I would have expected that if it were in American oak.
April 9, 2008

J Crazy
QOTD: Love me some Sangiovese

A Sirio: has some solid wines.
2005 Don Camillo Farnese: delivers for the price of 10 bucks.
Sangervasio: has a number of good to great wines (they’re ecowinerific too)
2003 Barone Ricasoli, Brolio: throws some knockout punches.
2000 Lisini, Brunello di Montalcino: Home maaflackin run.

On the American side;

Chateau Julien out of Carmel has a nice Sangio and a great Sangiovese Rosato that’s perfect for Sakura blossom viewing in the spring time.
April 9, 2008

RonC
Nice recovery.

QOTD: Haven’t drank any Sangiovese recently, but I did enjoy the 2003 Il Molino Di Grace Toscana Il Volano.
April 9, 2008

kEITH
Good show, not all wines bring the thunder, it wouldn’t seem honest if you didn’t have some clunkers. Happens to me a good portion of the time. Never tried a sangiovese
April 9, 2008

Pinuck
QOTD–Showket Vineyards, 1999 Sangiovese from California. Absolutely intriguing combination of cherries and pencil shavings (but in a delicious way).
April 9, 2008

Terry T.
This is only the third Wine Library TV episode I’ve ever seen and I am 100% depressed it has taken me over 400 episodes to patron the site.

I am not a wine guy (though I’d like to be) so I consider a lot of what goes on here really out of my league by a great degree. However, I have never wanted to purchase wine so badly before in my life; even when I worked as a waiter at an upscale steak house where I was serving wine at just about every table. This is the most killer-awesome, internet video show I have ever watched.

Thank you!

QOTD: I have yet to try a Sangiovese.
April 9, 2008

Oklahoma Michael
AHHHHHH!!!! Sangio when you are bad you are soooooo bad. Watch Gary the mad scientist going crazy. Don’t like old world?? Don’t like new world?? Have I got the wine for you!!!! QOTD-NO!
April 9, 2008

Chrisfs
That was pretty awesome. Why not mix wines?? How many wines do you taste that say they are 60% merlot 30% blah blah 10% Cab Franc ? What are those winemakers doing ? They are mixing wines, just like you were. You don’t have two 79 pt wines, you effectively have 1.5 bottles of a much better wine only with “some assembly required”.
The wine mixing is all about doing things different. I may start mixing some wines myself, it looked fun. Though I’m a cheapskate so I’ll be mixing $8 wines, not $20 wines
April 9, 2008

Steve B
The oak monster was missed …
That was awkward, I could see it written on Gary’s face. Still a great show though!
April 8, 2008

Marshall
QOTD:Yesss!!! Infact, I just had a good Rosso di Montalcino last night but I forgot what it was called. I had a killer Brunello last week and a sexy Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. However, I had super tuscan that was kinda dissapointing.
April 8, 2008

KennyMac
Even when wines bomb, Gary still manages to make the show interesting. The mixing was fun. QOTD: Not at this very moment, but yes, I have in the past.
April 8, 2008

Nick Leung
You should mix all of your wines after you’re done scoring.
April 8, 2008

mazdaspeedy3
I honestly don’t remember the last time I had a decent sangiovese, they’re just not memorable
April 8, 2008

Wes M
qotd: I had a little bit of one at a tasting that was fairly good until I got in my car and I tasted green peppers all the way to work. It might have been a Gabbiano, but I’m not sure.