2007 Sangiovese
CELLAR ... 3 to 5 years.
Vintage conditions
Despite limited rainfall, late spring frosts and one of the earliest harvest on record, we are very happy with the results of the 2007 vintage. One of the earliest and compressed harvest periods on record, the wines of 2007 have great intensity of flavour, freshness and colour.
Sangiovese is the most widely planted variety of all Italian varieties, both in Italy and in the ‘new world’. Most famously it is the major grape variety in the famous Chaintis and also the super Tuscans.
The 2007 Sangiovese is considerably lower in alcohol than in previous years and as such is tightly structured, with a particularly savoury and earthy complexity, soft cherry flavours, and lingering acidity.
Winemaking
In making this wine one hectare of our lowest yielding vines of our Sangiovese block was crushed and cold soaked for 48 hours in a small static fermenter before being warmed and inoculated with a traditional Italian yeast strain. The wine has been aged in oak for 9 months and while the majority of the oak is old, this year 20% was new and one year old Hungarian oak. We use premium Hungarian oak with our Italian varieties to accentuate both the bright cherry notes and the naturally spicy and savoury characters. Importantly we find that it enhances the varieties beautiful length of tannin and acid.
Wine detail & analysis
Variety Sangiovese
Region Rutherglen, North East Victoria
Harvest date March 2007
Release date January 2009
Alcohol 13.5%
Oak treatment 100% aged in Hungarian oak hogsheads (300 litre) and puncheons (500 litre) 9 months, 20% of that oak being new and 1 year old
Total acid 6.71/L
pH 3.58
Residual sugar 0.44g/L
James Halliday, www.winecompanion.com.au, January 2010
RUTHERGLEN ESTATES SANGIOVESE 2007
'Typical light and slightly hazy colour; a very savoury rendition of sangiovese that won a gold medal at the Alternative Varieties Show '09; sorely needs food. Rating 90'
GOLD Alternative Varieties Wine Show 2009
