Today’s Sangiovese is the flagship wine from our good friends at Benessere.

We haven’t featured a Benessere Vineyards Sangiovese since 2001. Back then, we sold out of the wine, leaving our Benessere Sangiovese-loving Operatives stranded - until now! Today, we’re thrilled to have their newest flagship wine, their Italian in America 2016 Estate St. Helena Vineyard Napa Valley Sangiovese. Hurry, though, as our allocation of this great wine is somewhat limited, today.

This Sangiovese is bright red with medium density and excellent color consistency all the way through. Beautiful nose full of lilac, white pepper, fennel, subtle mint, and baking spices. The palate brings tasty dark fruit into the mix with black plum, blueberry, and muddled blackberry. The baking spice integrates the oak notes of cigar box and subtle coconut. Very much like its Italian roots in its construction, its got a light body and light acidity, allowing you to focus on the fruit and enjoy at your leisure. Ideal for any Italian staples, but a lasagna topped with some fresh Parmesan would be divine.

This wine was made by Matt Reid, a protege of the legendary Philippe Melka. Matt has held posts at some of Napa Valley’s most prestigious wineries, including Burgess, Quixote, Failla and others. His wines always deliver fantastic value.

The most widely planted grape in all of Italy, Sangiovese is used in everything from blended inexpensive table wines like Chianti, to the finest Super Tuscans. Italian immigrants introduced this varietal to the U.S. in the 1800’s. First plantings of this grape in the Sonoma County region were in California. Read Agent Red’s tasting notes on this great wine, followed by his mission report, to learn more about today’s fantastic wine.