Atlas Peak Sangiovese 2000

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jcoulter 21 years ago

When I think of Sangiovese, I think Chianti, I think something nice with a pasta. When you drink Atlas Peak, you chnage your expectations. This is a big fruit bomb with all the jammy over ripeness with a dose of wood that defines classic California wine. It is delicious in its own way but forget the pizza and pasta this stuff just blows the food away. Showy and it shows well. It is a reminder of a style, one that I avoid, but have to admit has its own flair.

Over the top my wife liked it I could pass, the test I didn't feel the need to help finish the bottle for that I need a wine with finesse.

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Mark Lipton 21 years ago

Joseph, I have had several Atlas Peak sangioveses at tastings, and I agree

100% with your assessment. There was so much oak and so little varietal character that I could not have told you what I was drinking had I not seen the label. Good thing that there's so much reasonably priced Sangiovese made in Italy! ;-)

Speaking of which, a half bottle of the 2001 Avignonese Vino Nobile di Montepulciano at dinner last night was superb: deep, cherryish fruit, rich mouthfeel and great balance. It went superbly with my linguini alla puttenesca.

Mark Lipton

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Hunt 21 years ago

This has been my experience with the wines from this property. They have the knowhow, and the determination, but neither of their two bottlings (that was all that they offered last few times that I tasted them), were anything that I really cared to buy.

In CA/US, the only Sangiovese that I have really, really liked was the Shafer Firebreak, when it is produced, but I believe that they do blend some Cab into that bottling.

Amador/Sierra Foothills has some producers who are coming along with regards to Sangiovese, as well as Picchetti in Santa Cruz Mountains. I want to follow these two areas a bit more. I am glad to hear that my original assessment on the Atlas Peak wines hasn't been too far off. I tried their wines for about five years after their start, in hopes that something would come of it, but, until your TN had forgotten about them.

Hunt

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Mark Lipton 21 years ago

Yes, Shenandoah Valley (Amador County) wineries seem to be the odds-on favorite for producers of decent Sangiovese in CA. Vino Noceto does a very nice, if understated, Sangiovese, that does bear some resemblance to a Chianti of the lower strata. Amador Foothill also does a nice, light Sangiovese. There may be a few other producers there doing noteworthy stuff with the grape, but those two stuck out in my visit to the area.

Mark Lipton

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Vilco 21 years ago

Mi e' parso che Mark Lipton abbia scritto:

I would suggest Ruffino's "Lodola Nuova" Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, expecially the 2000. Fits perfectly in your description of the Avignonesi.

It should be linguinE alla puttAnesca :) BTW do you know what does puttanesca mean?

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Mark Lipton 21 years ago

That sounds good. Ruffino is usually easily to find in the US marketplace, but I can't say that I've ever encoutered their Vino Nobile before. I'm motivated to go looking now, though.

Thanks. I thought as much, but that was how it appeared on the menu.

Well, knowing the meaning of the root "putta" I can only guess... ;-)

Mark Lipton

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Tom S 21 years ago

Hi, Mark -

I wouldn't rule out Santa Barbara County for Sangiovese. Bruno Di Alfonso (winemaker at Sanford) makes a nice one from Stolpman Vineyards under the "Di Bruno" label.

I am very fond of Sangiovese, and have made a couple over the years. My

2003 is sitting in barrel waiting to be bottled, and it's pretty darn nice if I do say so myself. It won't be for sale, since I made it at home, but I'll get a couple of bottles to you if you like. It's 100% Sangiovese from Carrari Vineyard. The fruit came in at ~25° Brix and pH 3.4. It's a bit of a fruit bomb, but sitting in a new Sirugue Vosges barrel has refined it a good deal. It'll be bottled unfiltered in a month or so.

Tom S

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Atlas Peak Sangiovese 2000

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