2006 Tamas Sangiovese Riserva
My very first Sangiovese was just three and a half months ago, so I’m by no means a Sangiovese expert. But the red Italian grape is one I am growing very quickly fond of.
Well, back up a sec. My first Sangiovese labelled as “Sangiovese” was 3.5 months ago. I’ve had Chianti for years. But I digress.
That Sangiovese last October was from Tamas Estates in the Livermore Valley. So’s this one. But they took extra special care with their Sangiovese Riserva, and the wines are very, very different indeed.
On the nose are some light spice notes that initially made think of Zinfandel, but then, quickly, sweet red fruit that is all Sangiovese. The wine is medium-bodied with a creamy, yet light, jamminess. Notes of raspberries and sweet cherries are here and very nice, but I never felt this wine was too sweet, or overly fruit-forward. I don’t tend to care for too sweet wines, or juicy juice boxes (like Tamas’ 2007 Zinfandel Riserva), and this was neither.
I’d say that in general, Tamas Estates is doing Italian wine right, right here in the Livermore Valley. And that goes double for their Sangiovese Riserva.
Verdict: A-
Made Up Names Can Make For Great Wines
The woman at Tamas Estates’ tasting room was very frank.
“Andiamo isn’t a varietal or style. We made up the word.”
Why? It has to do with certain California wine label laws that state when a winery can (and when they cannot) list a grape varietal on a wine’s label. Seventy-five percent of a wine’s content must be of the stated varietal, assuming there is one at all.
Tamas’ “Andiamo” is 50% Zinfandel, 47% Sangiovese, and 3% Petite Sirah. So while it isn’t 75% any one grape (and hence, has a made-up name) it is 100% delectable.
As a friend likes to put it, “that’s some good juice.”
The nose on the Andiamo is very earthy and rich, it smells like an orchard in the summer, you can almost smell tree bark in there (oh yeah… the wine is fermented in oak barrels, isn’t it?). There’s also a hint of warm spice, like nutmeg or cardamom or something similar.
On the palate, the wine is rich and lustrous. Notes of coffee and chocolate mix with a very dark and hearty raspberry note. The wine feels like drinking velvet.
This is not to say it’s anything like, for instance, Porto or Madeira. It’s not thick or sticky feeling, or really all that sweet. But the flavors are big and bold and quite impressive. Recommended.
Verdict: B+
I am loving Sangiovese
One of my favorite wineries is Bonny Doon Vineyard. This quirky little Santa Cruz-based winery makes interesting blends, names their wines with attitude (my favorite is probably Cardinal Zin) and isn’t afraid to give you something great, even if it means sometimes, they give you shit.
This, dear reader, ain’t shit.
Ca’ del Solo Sangiovese is not from Bonny Doon’s home base in the Santa Cruz Mountains, but from San Benito County, a little further inland, between Salinas and Fresno. I found the wine to be pretty amazing, even if driving through its home is simply something you do to get to either Los Angeles or San Francisco.
The color is almost purple-red. There is a maroon quality to it that I haven’t noticed often. On the nose, a bright raspberry note announces its presence with authority, but there are also notes of sour cherries and spices.
The front of the palate starts a bit sweet, more of the raspberry. Quickly, however, there is a spiciness and a hint of sour apple that take over the palate, and the wine feels rich in the mouth and finishes wonderfully. It goes out with a kick that it doesn’t have on the way in. It’s like the opposite of March.
Another fantastic bottle (which can be had for under $15, like many of their selections) from a fantastic winery, Bonny Doon Vineyard.
Verdict: B+