Long Shadows Saggi Red is made with 58% Sangiovese, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon 12% Syrah. Among Tuscany's oldest and most prestigious wine families, Ambrogio and Giovanni Folonari teamed with Allen Shoup to produce a wine that showcases Washington State's terroir with plenty of Italian character. Saggi (meaning "wisdom") is a stunning blend of two outstanding Washington Sangiovese vineyards. Candy Mountain Sangiovese gives the wine its dark fruit flavors and appealing notes of anise. Dick Boushey's Yakima Valley Sangiovese, planted in 1992, adds vibrancy and liveliness. Because Cabernet Sauvignon has the potential to overtake Sangiovese, the Folonaris work closely with Sagemoor Vineyards to carefully select blocks of Cabernet they know from experience deliver elegant character and refined tannins. Syrah, also from Sagemoor, adds to the wine's dark color and rich mid-palate.
Review:
The 2018 Red Wine Saggi is mostly Candy Mountain Sangiovese (58%) with Cabernet Sauvignon (30%) and Syrah (12%). Gilles Nicault has created a sensational, one-of-a-kind blend here. The wine explodes out of the glass with potpourri and anise tones alongside a beautiful core of red and dark fruits. The palate offers tobacco, milk chocolate and boysenberry flavors, serious depth and concentration, insanely good range and an opulent sense of texture. Complex and delicious with firm tannins and a touch of hedonism, this sensational and novel blend will provide drinking enjoyment for another 15 years to come.
-Vinous 95 Points
Composition is a remarkable collaboration between Bertrand de Villaine, co-owner of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, and Katrina Rank, a talented Oregon-based winemaker. Together, they bring a uniquely Franco-Oregonian perspective to Pinot Noir, merging Burgundian philosophy with the vibrant expression of Willamette Valley terroir.
The fruit is sourced from carefully selected vineyards in Oregon's Willamette Valley, where the cool maritime climate and volcanic soils produce Pinot Noir of remarkable finesse and complexity. Aged 10 months in oak barrels with 30% new oak, the wine is crafted to highlight purity of fruit while allowing gentle structural support. 13% alcohol.
The Composition Pinot Noir delivers a light and perfumed style with layers of red cherry, wild strawberry, and subtle floral notes, supported by fine-grained tannins and bright, refreshing acidity. A wine of elegance and restraint that reflects the harmony between two great winemaking traditions.