Winemaker Gilles Nicole takes inspiration from great Tuscany and creates Saggi in the traditional Chianti Classico style with the help of father-son duo Ambrogio and Giovanni Foronari of Tenuta di Nozzole.
In the glass, the aromas are intense and vibrant, with red cherries and sweet spices.
Aromas of ripe wild strawberry and subtle white pepper add layered complexity to the overall lively and well-balanced mouthfeel.
A pleasant richness in the mid-palate leads to a soft, long finish.
Like previous vintages, the 2019 Saggi is a blend of two of Washington State's top Sangiovese vineyards, both planted in 1998 on well-drained soils that are important for managing vine vigor and berry size.
Candy Mountain is a warm vineyard that produces Sangiovese with aromas and flavors of ripe blackcurrant.
The Sangiovese from Bushey Vineyards in the Yakima Valley comes from a cool location and brings lively expression and balancing acidity to the blend.
This Sangiovese is blended with Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon, which has silky, refined tannins, and Den Hoed's Grandview Vineyard, which has deep color and lively Syrah.
2019 has produced some excellent red wines of outstanding quality and consistency.
This season has started slowly.
Unexpected late winter snow lasted until mid-March, which resulted in the soil being slow to warm and delayed bud break in April, but warmer temperatures in May encouraged flowering.
The summer weather was mild, with no heat waves and temperatures remaining moderate well into autumn.
The grapes ripened slowly, allowing the fruit to reach perfect physiological maturity, resulting in a vintage characterized by freshness and elegance.
The hand-picked grapes were gently crushed and fermented in small 2-ton tanks.
Then, at the beginning of fermentation, a technique called saignée (French for "bleeding"), 5-10% of the juice was removed from the tank, increasing the proportion of grape skins in the juice.
This results in a richer, more concentrated wine.
Produced in small quantities and macerated for an average of 30 days, it has refined tannins and a silky mouthfeel.
Aged for 18 months in French oak barrels (55% new).
Long Shadows was founded in 2002 by Washington wine visionary Allen Shoop.
Shoop served as President and CEO of Chateau Ste. Michelle from 1984 to 2000, where he developed international winemaking partnerships with world-renowned Italian Piero Antinori (Col Solare) and German Dr. Loosen (Eroica Riesling).
Building on this success, Long Shadows was established to bring an elite group of great winemakers from the world's major wine regions to Washington State to create world-class wines that showcase the excellence of Washington State's Columbia Valley grape growing region.
Each winemaker partners individually with Shoop and the winery's resident winemaker, Jill Nicoll, to create their own quintessential, top-quality wine using their own vinification techniques and bottled in their own unique style.