Product Overview
Winery's Notes:
"Estate Sangiovese comes predominantly from the original 10 acres of Sangiovese that Tom Stolpman planted in 1994. The Santa Barbara sunshine and long growing season create a richer, denser version of Sangiovese compared to what is found in the grape’s Tuscan homeland. Stolpman’s cold nights and Limestone soils retain the acidity that brings our New World version back to balance. The younger 2004 High Density Hilltop “La Croce” Sangiovese, occasionally culled off into a reserve “Sangio degli Angeli” cuvee, brings heightened concentration and intensity to the wine.
Aged 21 months in neutral large Ermitage 500L french oak puncheons, Sangiovese’s tell-tale acidity and tannin have the time to integrate and slip into the rich, ripe mid-palate.
The seamless, uber-aromatic 2019 sings a beautifully lifted "spirit note." Misty wild red fruit streaks over woody forest and then washes over malt and fine chalky tannins. The wine is a journey, from the high-tone red fruit, to the forest depth, integrated tannin, and then yet another layer of deeper, riper red fruit. The most refined and compelling Sangiovese we've turned out over the past 20 years."
Varietal Composition: 100% Sangiovese
Appellation: Ballard Canyon AVA
Aging: 22 months in neutral 500L French oak puncheons
Production: 1900 cases
94 Points - Wine Advocate
"Medium ruby, the 2019 Sangiovese Estate has savory scents of leather, bitters, licorice and dried citrus peel. The medium-bodied palate is chalky and fresh, with fuller fruits than the nose implies and a long finish with an array of spicy layers." -EB, 3/15/22
92 Points - Wine Enthusiast
"Lovely aromas of cherry, strawberry, cinnamon, mace and leather swirl around the nose of this wine. The palate deftly integrates flavors of red cherry and brown spice with ample acidity and leathery tannins that stick long on the finish." -MK, 12/31/22
