Sant'Agnese. Sangiovese 'Libatio'

IGT Toscana
Grape: Sangiovese (clone Brunello 42)

A move away from the surreal into an impressionist view of Sangiovese, I love this vintage. The tension between intense brambly depths, taught minerality, mint and ripe mouth filling tannins is shear pleasure. Black cherry and floral on the nose. If Warhol worked with Sangiovese this would be the result. It is bold and precise, it just works. 14%

Link to Sant'Agnese Producer page

Libatio, an offering of food to the moon.
The vineyard is between 25 and 75 meters above sea level, planted in the curve of the hill on a mixture of clays and small stones, a typical Tuscan galestro. The vines were planted in 1999 at a density of 5500 plants per hectare which yield around four tons of fruit per hectare. Fermentation is in open steel and concrete tanks with regular punching down of the cap. Temperature is held at around 25° and lasts ten days. The wine is then allowed to settle naturally and decanted into (second passage) Allier barrique, where it completes malolactic fermentation and matures for 2 years. Only the smallest dose of sulphur is added before bottling.