BY: ED “THE WINE GUY”
What a delightful surprise! The Sangiovese grape is an ancient grape, tied
to the Tuscan region of central Italy. I am familiar with the use of the
Sangiovese grape in the making of Chianti, in the making of the Super Tuscans
and the Brunellos (which are both subject to aggressive oak treatment), and in
the making of the dessert wine Vin Santo, all of them very satisfying wines,
only proving that the Sangiovese grape lends itself to be made into a variety
of styles of wine. However, the grape is thin-skinned and finicky - similar to
the Pinot Noir grape - taking its time to ripen and mature, so, only a skillful
vintner will be successful. Dr. Puzio has proven himself to be a skillful
vintner. My expectations of this wine - made from grapes grown in the New World
as opposed to Italy - I have to admit, were not very high; I expected a
somewhat tart wine, an indifferent, quaffing wine, at best, but - what a
delightful surprise! - this medium-bodied Sangiovese has a soft, round
mouthfeel; it bursts with aromas and flavors of cherry, blueberry, blackberry,
and plum. At a recent tasting of this wine at Harney's, I waited to see a smile
appear on the face of the taster with the first sip; I was not disappointed;
the reactions were universally very favorable. This wine is immediately
drinkable; it should be drunk young, up to three years - but its longevity
remains to be seen; it is very food-friendly, a perfect complement to pizza and
pasta with tomato sauce; it would make an excellent summer red, a wine that can
benefit with a slight chilling to hold the taste of alcohol in check.
We await the release of Dr. Puzio's new Zinfandel. I have already sampled
it, and, I suspect, that it, among all of Dr. Puzio's creations, will become my
personal favorite.