2018 Sangiovese Riserva - Pelletiere Estate

Dried black cherry, fresh oregano, boysenberry purée. Tart goji berry, rolling tobacco, strawberry fruit leather. A thoroughly intriguing and complex fruit core led by cranberry preserves, sweet cherry tomato, and dark plum generously resonates with outstanding depth and concentration while playful notes of parsley and basil provide clean and captivating herbal underpinnings. Hints of lavender, pungent rose, and cactus flower reveal waves of interesting floral aromas that are balanced against organic and savory suggestions of forest floor, cedar, and leather. A faint waft of cinnamon gently points to subtle barrel influence while pronounced notes of crushed limestone expose a riveting thread of minerality. Notably bold, powerful, and extracted on the palate while remaining incredibly elegant and tastefully rustic; exhibiting a perfectly executed combination of irresistible new world ripeness and characterful old world charm presented without a single hair out of place. Medium-plus bodied with elevated tannin backed by bright acidity. This 2018 Sangiovese Riserva by Pelletiere Estate is an authentic and inspiring red from the Willow Creek District of Paso Robles.

Native to the Italian region of Tuscany where it is the key component of legendary wines like Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino, Sangiovese is an unquestionably noble red wine grape that was brought to California by Italian immigrants in the early 1900s. This bottling, crafted by Pelletiere Estate using Sangiovese grown in their Paso Robles estate vineyard, is an impressive example of the heights this variety can achieve in California. Although slightly richer and heartier than its Italian counterparts, this wine boasts absolutely perfect Sangiovese typicity as its dark and red-fruited profile is beautifully laced with fresh herbs, aromatic floral tones, savory leather notes, and brilliant minerality. This is an unquestionably serious and age-worthy expression of a grape that is not often associated with California, and will impress Sangiovese lovers from anywhere on the planet. Exceptional.