Sangiovese is our True Love,
Our Headfirst Slide.
(rest easy #24)
Sadly, Rickey Henderson, my favorite baseball player of all time, recently passed away.
Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson once said (I've been saying this for years): "Rickey wasn't just great. That doesn't say enough for me. He's one of the top 10 to 12 players of all time. That's how good Rickey was."
I could list all the reasons why I think Reggie is right. Henderson holds the MLB record for stolen bases, most runs scored, leadoff home runs, and unintentional walks. But for me, it was the way Rickey played the game, and how he interacted with the fans that made him my guy. His signature headfirst slide was how he finished all 1,406 of his stolen bases. You don’t do that to your body unless you really love the game.
While we are proud of making each and every one of our Mediterranean-varietal wines, Sangiovese is our true love. Our headfirst slide, if you will. As relentless Brunello di Montalcino and Chianti Classico fanatics, we are all too aware of the brilliance Sangiovese can achieve when it comes from great vineyards and thoughtful winemakers, such as those from Siro Pacenti Brunello di Montalcino, Uccelliera Brunello di Montalcino, Montevertine Le Pergole Torte, and Felsina Rancia Chianti Classico.
This drive for making great Sangiovese, and Dry Creek Valley’s Tuscan-like climate, led us to planting several clones in different sites, with different rootstocks, and tight vine spacing. Perhaps as important, we were ever mindful of maintaining low crop yields—a challenge with this prolific variety. Master of Wine David Gleave was recently quoted, “Sangiovese makes Pinot Noir look like a walk in the park.” We are painfully aware of his assessment, and have gone to great lengths to achieve such consistent success with Sangiovese in California.
