Sangiovese N A PA VA L L E Y
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Small Parcels Yield Rare Gems
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BY MELISSA VOGT
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apa Valley is synonymous with Cabernet Sauvignon, so why do producers craft wines from varietals that seem “out of place” for the region? Although Napa Valley has hung its hat—for good reason—on Cabernet, the region’s diverse terroir is what allows for the wide range of varietals that successfully grow in the right microclimates. Add that to passion and talent, and a great viticulturist can team up with an experienced winemaker to turn a non-Cabernet varietal into a truly fantastic Napa Valley wine. Enter Sangiovese. This thin-skinned grape variety can be tricky to grow, but select Napa Valley producers have mastered the art of crafting this finicky grape into spectacular wine. It’s a grape that grows prolifically in fertile soils, which is why Napa producers need to be careful about where they plant it. “We have learned a great deal over the last 35 years of having Sangiovese planted on the Antica estate,” said Glenn Salva, wine estate manager of Antica Napa Valley. “Even within Tuscany, Sangiovese is not grown in all areas.” Sangiovese is native to the Tuscan region in Italy, where it’s made in many styles, including light and bright with fresh acidity to darker and more complex with the ability to age. In its lightest and most foodfriendly expression, Tuscan Sangiovese is offered as
Photo above courtesy of Castello di Amoroso
a table wine at every meal. In historically classified and recognized regions such as Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino, Sangiovese takes on more clout. As Chianti, Sangiovese still retains its light and bright style and is a go-to wine for everyday enjoyment. As Brunello di Montalcino, price, quality, complexity, and acquisition rise significantly—Sangiovese reaches the pinnacle of quality and recognition as Brunello. Because the wines are required to be aged for at least two years in barrel and then aged in bottle for a minimum of four months before release, their style is wholly different from other expressions of Sangiovese. Napa Valley producers have followed suit, crafting a range of Sangiovese. For Salva and his team at Antica Napa Valley, they are no strangers to the diversity of Sangiovese. Owned by the Italian Antinoris, Antica Napa Valley is the family’s only vineyard holding outside of Italy—and while it’s mostly planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, the family is passionate about its small plot of Sangiovese. The estate’s name, a literal blend of Antinori and California, is a representation of their Italian heritage combined with their desire to produce world-class California wine as a complement to their reputable Italian portfolio.
SPRING 2022
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