2008 Saggi - 1.5L
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 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and Syrah.
Red currents and ripe, wild strawberries meld with oak spice and an attractive hint of earthiness in this bright, vibrant wine. Well-integrated tannins provide a velvety mouth-feel, layers of structure and a long, pleasant finish.
92 POINTS
STEPHEN TANZER'S IWC
| Download Wine Notes |
| Vintage | 2008 |
| Varietal | Sangiovese Red Blend |
| Varietal Composition | 45% Sangiovese
40% Cabernet Sauvignon
15% Syrah |
| Appellation | Columbia Valley |
| Acid | 0.57g/ 100ml |
| PH | 3.72 |
| Aging | Drink now through 2021 |
| Alcohol | 14.60% |
| Wine Style | Red Wine |
| Volume | 1.5 liter |
2008 SAGGI - 92 POINTS
"Bright, deep red. Sexy aromas of black cherry, violet, licorice and toasty oak. Juicy, vibrant and quite tight, with a restrained sweetness to the blackberry and licorice flavors. Finishes broad but with a light touch, with suave, tongue-dusted tannins and sneaky persistence."
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2008 SAGGI - 91 POINTS
"The 2008 Saggi is composed of 45% Sangiovese, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 15% Syrah aged for 18 months in 55% new French oak. The wine was made by Ambrogio and Giovanni Folonari of Tuscany. Earthy minerals, cedar, smoke, cherries, and blueberries inform the nose of an elegant, smooth-textured, spicy wine that has enough structure to evolve for 2-3 years. It will offer peak drinking from 2013 to 2023." |
The Columbia Valley's warm days and cool nights offer an ideal climate for preserving Sangiovese's delicate flavors, acidity and balance. The 2008 Saggi relies heavily (63%) on grapes from the acclaimed Horse Heaven Hills appellation. Candy Mountain (22%) contributes ripe, wild strawberry aromas and flavors. Dick Boushey's Yakima Valley vineyard (15%) gives the wine balance and freshness while preserving the elegant red currant characteristics of the Sangiovese.
Ambrogio and Giovanni Folonari are among Italy’s oldest and most prestigious Tuscan wine families with a winemaking history dating back to the late 1700s.
Today, Ambrogio e Giovanni Folonari Tenute, conceived by this father-son team as a collection of small, beautifully located vineyards producing primarily Tuscan “grand crus,” is recognized for its distinctive, small-production wines from the family’s numerous estates. The vineyards are managed using modern viticulture techniques including dense planting and careful clonal selection and research. Both Ambrogio and Giovanni, a University of California at Davis enology graduate, are directly involved in winemaking and are dedicated to high quality wines that reflect the vineyard’s terroir.
Prior to launching A. & G. Folonari Tenute, Ambrogio was the president of Ruffino, originally purchased in 1912 by Ambrogio’s grandfather. While at the helm of Ruffino, Ambrogio was an outspoken advocate for Italian wine quality and took Ruffino in a new and original direction. In the late 1960s, the company began focusing on high-quality wines and in 1971 purchased Nozzole, a famous estate located near Greve in the heart of Chianti Classico. In the 1980s, Ambrogio created Cabreo, a unique combination of tradition and innovation including Cabreo Il Borgo (red), a blend of traditional Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon, while La Pietra is Chardonnay from Tuscany, fermented and aged in oak. These wines were among the first in a new group of top wines now widely known as “Super Tuscans.”
In 2000, Ambrogio and Giovanni left Ruffino to focus on small-lot, estate-grown wines, committing to reinvesting, developing and expanding vineyard holdings in the interest of producing high-quality wines. Their portfolio, distributed in the U.S. by Kobrand, includes:
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Nozzole Estate (Chianti Classico, Super Tuscan, Chardonnay)
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Cabreo Estate (Super Tuscans)
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TorCalvano di Gracciano Svetoni Estate (Nobile di Montepulciano, Rosso di Montepulciano)
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La Fuga, Montalcino Estate (Brunello di Montalcino, Rosso di Montalcino)
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Conti Spalletti Estate (Chianti Rufina, Chianti, Rosso Toscano)
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Campo al Mare Estate (Bolgheri DOC, Vermentino IGT)
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Vigne a Porrona Estate (Montecucco, Morellino, Maremma)
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Ronco dei Folo Estate (Colli Orientali del Friuli, Pinot Grigio, Tocai, Sauvignon).
Giovanni and his wife Eleonora live with their three children at the Cabreo Estate in Greve, 30 minutes from Florence.
