Maggie “Punches Down” fermenting Sangiovese
Sangiovese
Rattle Snake Hills, Elephant Mountain Vineyards, $26
High on a bluff on the shoulder of Elephant Mountain, second generation farmer Joe Hattrup has planted a vineyard amongst craggy rock outcrops, steep slopes, on stony sparse soils. It is from this wonderfully warm site that we have selected a few rows for sourcing our Sangiovese.
Sangiovese is the principle grape of the Tuscany and Chianti region of Italy. This grape has a fruit character that ranges from fresh cherries to blackberries and is cloaked with a spiciness of cinnamon bark and clove. In Washington the wine produces vibrant fruit with a hint of earthiness, making brighter wines than the European cousins.
By this varietal’s nature and the melding of flavors, this wine is a great pairing for creamy pasta sauces, pizza, pesto and roasted vegetables. You will find softer tannins, making this wine much more approachable than the more tannic red wines of the world. We recommend that you enjoy with wine in a ‘Slow Food’ kind of way…
Elephant Mtn. Vineyards
2018 Vintage Notes: Barrel aging extended to 18 months, creating an earthy quality to our Sangiovese, maybe more like its Italian cousins than our usual style. This it is complex and extremely food friendly and is gaining critical bottle age; a favorite in our tasting room..