2009 Sangiovese, Koelmel Vineyard

Lamorinda (Contra Costa County)

As many of you know, the Sangiovese grapes tended by Mark and Kris Koelmel are some of the older vines in the Lamorinda region (at least 15 years old). They were planted to the same clone that has been isolated in the Montalcino area of Tuscany that contribute 100% of the fruit for the famed and highly sought-after Brunello di Montalcino, a wine produced only in this area that adheres to the strictest standards of just about any regional classification/denomination.

The 2009 vintage represents the fourth year we've produced this wine, and this is possibly the closest we've come to emulating the noble Italian representation of Sangiovese. Most Californian versions of the varietal tend to be fruit-forward, jammy wines – fun and tasty, but not as complex and inspiring, and lacking the depth, acidity, and rich tannins of the more brooding wines from Montalcino. We think you'll find our 2009 Sangiovese achieves a striking balance between the two styles.

In the glass the wine's color appears to be a dark, blood red, but with dazzling clarity. When taking a whiff, beautiful pungent aromas of cherry stones, dark plums and a hint of sweet tobacco, earth and spice leap from the glass, enveloping the senses. The palate offers a superb, deep, expansive mouthful of red fruits – red currants, cherries, and plum – evolving in layers to reveal classic old-world notes of earthy loam, leather, and spice. The rustic nature of Brunellos is evident on the back palate, which leads to a lengthy, luxuriant, slightly toasty, kirsch-like finish accentuated by ample silky smooth tannins that remind you this is a Californian wine.

This wine will definitely prove a versatile, food-friendly accompaniment to many dishes. Its depth, acidity, and tannins will stand up nicely to a Bistecca alla fiorentina, and will pair beautifully with veal scallopini in a mushroom cream sauce, but also has the fruit and richness to pair well with a rosemary-roasted chicken, or even a simple tomato-based pasta dish or pizza.. It's drinking fun and fabulously now, but experience from our previous vintages suggests that it will continue to evolve and improve for several years, possibly lasting up to a couple decades with attentive cellaring.