Casanova della Spinetta Sassontino 10 Year Release 2007 750ml

Here is another late-release Sangiovese from Casanova della Spinetta, only in this case, fruit is sourced from precious 50-year-old vines. The 2007 Sassontino is a concentrated, thickly layered and aged wine packed tight with dried fruit, spice, smoke and tar. There is a lot of tertiary definition here, and unlike the other late-release wine, the Sezzana, this bottle is less oxidative and still shows some recognizable fruit. Roto-fermenters are used to obtain rich extraction, and the wine is aged in tonneaux for up to 14 months. Production is 10,000 bottles.

• Country: Italy
• Region: Tuscany
• Size: 750ml
• Color: Red
• Alcohol by Vol: 13.0%

Varietal

Sangiovese

The name of this grape, meaning ‘blood of Jove’ conjures up evocative images of long dead civilizations, and gives the Sangiovese varietal a sense of the holy, the sacred, the special. Indeed, this particular type of Italian grape has been cultivated and processed for thousands of years, and is said to be the original favorite grape varietal of the Romans, and the Etruscans before them. Throughout history, vintners have continued to plant this varietal, and they continue to produce wonderful wines to this day. The long bunches of very dark, round fruit are treasured by fine wineries in Italy and a few other places around the world, and when young, these grapes are lively ”“ full of strawberry flavors and a little spiciness. However, it is when they are aged in oak that they take on some truly special flavors and aromas, as seen in some of the finest wines of the Old World.