The grapes for our Sangiovese Estate 2006 are sourced from the Max II vineyard at our Don Maximiano Estate in the Aconcagua Valley, a region that features an extended dry season with moderately warm summer days cooled by soft afternoon breezes blowing in from the Pacific Ocean. The Sangiovese vineyards were planted in 1994, primarily with R24 clone (also called Sangiovese Piccolo), which features small berries and an intense berry fruit character. A smaller section was planted with the R10 clone and trellised to vertical shoot position.
The Sangiovese vineyard is planted on a north-west-facing 5° slope with gravel-sandy-clay soils that provide excellent drainage. The vineyard is drip-irrigated, densely planted, spur-pruned, and vertically trellised.

Although the 2006–2007 season began with normal temperatures, they dropped to slightly lower than normal between October and December, which did not affect vine growth. An unexpected 50 mm (2 in) October rainfall complicated flowering and resulted in lower yields. The January through April maturation period was colder than in a normal year, which slowed the ripening. The combination of low temperatures, slow ripening, and low yields helped the grapes achieve good character, high quality tannins, and excellent acidity. The key for Sangiovese was to wait for the tannins to fully ripen.

The grapes for our 2006 Estate Sangiovese were hand-picked, destemmed, crushed, and inoculated with selected yeasts to allow fermentation at 26°-30°C. The new wine remained on its skins for 10 to 20 days, depending on the development of the individual lots, for maximum extraction of the ripe fruit flavours. Half of the wine was aged in French and American oak barrels for approximately 6 months, which helped round out the flavour and contributed to a sweet mouthfeel. After the final blend was made, the wine was cold-settled and lightly filtered before bottling.

Violet-red and brickish at the rim, our 2007 Estate Sangiovese features a complex blend of aromas such as dried figs, hazelnuts, stone fruits, and banana. Firm, ripe tannins lend structure to the intense palate. Nice acidity offers pleasing freshness and extends the long finish.