Hamilton's Bluff Sangiovese 2005 (Canowindra)

The Hamilton's Bluff vineyard at Canowindra can turn out the goods with sangiovese. Not too close to the richer, wetter and hotter parts of the district (near Cowra in NSW), there is vigour enough for the vines without washing out colour and flavour. But what I have enjoyed about the couple of vintages of this I have had, including this 2005, is that there is a distinctiveness to the wine. It has a softly-aged richness of texture, something gently-creamy about it, that is genuinely appealing. As well as being an excellent example of graceful aging under screwcap, at around $25 a bottle this is both good value and a good return to the people who grew the fruit, made the wine and brought it out to market in its prime. Roast lamb with borlotti beans cooked off in the tray at the end of the roast makes a good match, or just good bread & a bottle of spicy olive oil.

Their website is worth a look, both for the wine and Julia Andrews' writing about their vineyard, business and local area. Personal and personable.

Older nebbiolo

In anticipation of what should be a good dinner this Friday at Scopri in Melbourne. The theme is aged Barolo and Barbaresco. I'm anticipating some of my prejudice against nebbiolo and in favour of sangiovese may be challenged by this lineup:

MONFORTINO 1952 G.CONTERNO

BAROLO 1955 RISERVA G.BORGOGNO

BAROLO 1962 RISERVA G.BORGOGNO

BARBARESCO 64 RIS. FASCETTO MINUTO

BARBARESCO 67 RIS.RABAYA' PRODUT.

BARBARESCO 70 RIS. OVELLO PRODUT.

BARBARESCO 1976 BRUNO GIACOSA

BARBARESCO 1974 PRODUTTORI

BARBARESCO 1974 JEROBOAM PRODUT.

BAROLO 1976 RISERVA G.BORGOGNO

BAROLO 1986 BRUNATE CERETTO

MONFORTINO 1941 G.CONTERNO

The two encounters I have had so far with well-aged nebbiolo have been underwhelming, but I have an open mind.

Tenuta Sassoregale Sangiovese 2009 (Maremma, Tuscany)

Under screwcap and sub-$15 at retail in Australia is a pretty good start for an Italian sangiovese. From the Maremma, the 2009 Tenuta Sassoregale offers bright red fruits, a hit of tangy refreshment and a touch of varietal sangiovese tannin. The fruit does dip on the mid-palate and wash out somewhat on the finish, but this does not really matter if you have a plate of pork sausages on the table and a weeknight urge for sangiovese. Decent and another example of the value (and screwcap certainty) now coming in from Italy.