Ferrari-Carano Vineyards & Winery Sangiovese Alexander Valley 2005

Winemaker's Notes:

The 2005 Ferrari-Carano Sangiovese from our mountain vineyards in Alexander Valley displays an atypical darkness, richness and ripeness for the Sangiovese grape. Aromatic characteristics of luscious red and black berry fruit with deep, concentrated cherry, rich mocha and toffee notes are followed by ripe supple tannins and a tremendously long finish of caramel, vanilla and chai spice. Vintage Notes Our mountain vines are dry farmed in shallow, rocky, low-vigor soil that adds impressive depth and concentration of flavor intensity to the wine. We took advantage of a unique growing season that was characterized by an early start, then a cool spring, followed by a "hurry up and wait" start to harvest. A lack of August heat spikes and a healthy canopy from a beautiful early summer allowed the Sangiovese to reach full maturity in both flavor and tannin structure. Yields of 2 tons per acre with a berry size of 1 gram (half the size of typical Sangiovese) resulted in greater color, aroma, tannin and overall density of the wine. Winemakers Notes Our mountain vines are dry farmed in shallow, rocky, low-vigor soil that adds impressive depth and concentration of flavor intensity to the wine. We took advantage of a unique growing season that was characterized by an early start, then a cool spring, followed by a "hurry up and wait" start to harvest. A lack of August heat spikes and a healthy canopy from a beautiful early summer allowed the Sangiovese to reach full maturity in both flavor and tannin structure. Yields of 2 tons per acre with a berry size of 1 gram (half the size of typical Sangiovese) resulted in greater color, aroma, tannin and overall density of the wine. Appellation: Alexander Valley Blend: 95% Sangiovese, 5% Syrah Cooperage: 100% new Hungarian Puncheon oak Release Day: November 2007 Rhonda's Recipe and Pairing Notes Braised Short Ribs and Parmesan Mashed Potatoes The mountain grown Sangiovese pairs nicely with heartier beef, lamb or pork braises, stews, tomato-based sauces with pasta, and well-aged cheeses.