Luna Vineyards Sangiovese for Snow Day

There’s a thing that wine bloggers do called “Wine Blogging Wednesday.”  It’s an event that happens once every month… usually on a Wednesday. The idea is that several wine bloggers all write about the same topic that day.  Then there’s a host, who summarizes the collective thoughts and points you to all the writers for that theme.  I used to participate in it every month, but I haven’t done so for the past six months or so.  It’s good to get back in it today.

The host this month is Michelle, the author of My Wine Education.  And her theme is “Snow Day Wine,” which I interpret as meaning we should write about a wine we would want to drink on a day when we’re snowed in at home.

To me, being snowed in is a time when I want some comfort foods, which for me means Italian.  Yep, if it’s cold and ugly outside I crave baked mostaccioli or gnocchi with homemade marinara sauce.  And I want a good Chianti or Sangiovese to go with it.  In order to give this another twist, I decided to pick a Californian Sangiovese rather than an Italian.

To be honest, I generally would prefer an Italian Sangiovese over a Californian one due to the acidity and aromatics I expect from the Italian ones.  They go great with food and I just find them interesting.  Those I’ve had from California tend to be much more fruit-forward and less aromatic.

So, I pour a glass of 2007 Luna Vineyards, Napa Valley Sangiovese and I’m pleasantly surprised.  While it’s definitely a “new world” style of wine and very different from an old-world, Italian Sangiovese , it’s still really good.

It’s spicy on the nose, with cloves, white pepper, red raspberry, black cherry and an ever-so-slight barnyard.  The palate is big and full of ripe fruit, like juicy raspberry, black cherry, currant and plum.  A little bit of dark chocolate shows up mid-palate and it finishes with a black cherry flavor that lasts and lasts.  It doesn’t have the acidity you would find in most Italian Sangiovese and is more fruit-forward, making it clearly a “new world” wine.  The tannins are perfect for drinking now.  While it’s not what I would typically look for in a Sangiovese (i.e. old world style) it’s still a very enjoyable wine.

The suggested retail price is $25.00, which is slightly higher than we typically go here, but I expect you could find it for less if you shop around.  When I work the rating numbers on it, I get an 89-point-something.  But hey, it’s a snow day… let’s round up and give this one a 90.

Wine: Luna Vineyards Sangiovese
Variety: Sangiovese
Vintage: 2007
Alcohol: 14.1%
Rating: 90
Price: $25.00

Find Luna Vineyards Sangiovese with Snooth

Disclosure: This wine was received as a sample.