Sangiovese is rare in Napa Valley
The unique Rodeno clone, certified by U.C. Davis (yes! you can buy certified budwood), yields wines that have remarkable color, structure, fruit and balance.
Villa Ragazzi grows a tiny fraction of Napa Valley's Sangiovese, which isn't much considering that all the Sangiovese grapes in Napa Valley accounted for less than half of 1% of the valley's 2010 harvest (to be precise, 0.0024 of the total). This grape has, of course, been quite important in Tuscany for centuries.
Sangiovese is identified with Chianti, and Brunello, and more...
A mainstay of Chianti Classico, where the wine can be lighter in color and body, Sangiovese also produces the heavy hitter Brunello di Montalcino and is a major component of renowned "super Tuscan" blends. In California, Sangiovese is typically less dense than Cabernet or Syrah, but the best wines are fuller-bodied than Pinot Noir.
Sangiovese's reputation is for lighter wines -- but not in our vineyard.
The clone is important, but so is microclimate. Unless very carefully managed when planted in richer soil with access to plenty of water, some Sangiovese clones can easily overcrop and produce uninteresting wines. On the Rodeno's rocky, well drained hillside vineyard, our Rodeno clone is naturally self-limiting, bearing only 1-2 tons per acre. The full-grown vines look anemic, but the small clusters of tiny berries are full of flavor and color.
Sangiovese is one of the world's most food-friendly red wines.
Its mouthwatering acidity makes Sangiovese an excellent companion for many delicious dishes, unlike softer wines we tend to disparage as flabby, or flat. That same liveliness assures long aging capability. The 1998 Villa Ragazzi Sangiovese is still drinking very well, as I noted in my September 24, 2011 blog post comparing it with a 1998 La Sirena Sangiovese made by Heidi Barrett; we only wish there was more than 1 bottle left in the cellar. It was obviously drinking well in its youth, too, or there might have been more left for you and me.
To learn more, go to Sangiovese.
Villa Ragazzi grows a tiny fraction of Napa Valley's Sangiovese, which isn't much considering that all the Sangiovese grapes in Napa Valley accounted for less than half of 1% of the valley's 2010 harvest (to be precise, 0.0024 of the total). This grape has, of course, been quite important in Tuscany for centuries.
Sangiovese is identified with Chianti, and Brunello, and more...
A mainstay of Chianti Classico, where the wine can be lighter in color and body, Sangiovese also produces the heavy hitter Brunello di Montalcino and is a major component of renowned "super Tuscan" blends. In California, Sangiovese is typically less dense than Cabernet or Syrah, but the best wines are fuller-bodied than Pinot Noir.
Sangiovese's reputation is for lighter wines -- but not in our vineyard.
The clone is important, but so is microclimate. Unless very carefully managed when planted in richer soil with access to plenty of water, some Sangiovese clones can easily overcrop and produce uninteresting wines. On the Rodeno's rocky, well drained hillside vineyard, our Rodeno clone is naturally self-limiting, bearing only 1-2 tons per acre. The full-grown vines look anemic, but the small clusters of tiny berries are full of flavor and color.
Sangiovese is one of the world's most food-friendly red wines.
Its mouthwatering acidity makes Sangiovese an excellent companion for many delicious dishes, unlike softer wines we tend to disparage as flabby, or flat. That same liveliness assures long aging capability. The 1998 Villa Ragazzi Sangiovese is still drinking very well, as I noted in my September 24, 2011 blog post comparing it with a 1998 La Sirena Sangiovese made by Heidi Barrett; we only wish there was more than 1 bottle left in the cellar. It was obviously drinking well in its youth, too, or there might have been more left for you and me.
To learn more, go to Sangiovese.