2007 Saggi
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.
Fresh, bright fruit combines with delicate notes of ripe, wild strawberry and well-integrated wood spice. A slight earthiness enhances the wine's complexity and flavor. Silky in texture with a lengthy finish.
92 POINTS - STEPHEN TANZER INTL. WC
| Download Wine Notes |
| Vintage | 2007 |
| Varietal | Sangiovese Red Blend |
| Varietal Composition | 43% Sangiovese
36% Cabernet Sauvignon
21% Syrah |
| Appellation | Columbia Valley |
| Acid | 0.58g/100ml |
| PH | 3.75 |
| Aging | Drink now through 2020 |
| Alcohol | 14.60% |
| Wine Style | Red Wine |
| Volume | 750 ml |
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2007 SAGGI - 92 POINTS
"Aromatic nose features plum, dried flowers, licorice, pepper and spices, lifted by a minty nuance and sexed up by a hint of white fruits. Lush, broad and sweet, but with lovely inner-mouth energy and perfume to the red fruit, floral and spice flavors. Richer and less meaty than the 2006 version. Very suave wine, finishing with fine-grained tannins, excellent length and a light touch."
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2007 SAGGI - 91 POINTS
"The Saggi is a multi-regional blend of 43% Sangiovese, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 21% Syrah. It was aged for 18 months in 55% new French oak. Deep purple colored, it displays an expressive perfume of cedar, Asian spices, black cherry, and cassis. Supple and round on the palate, this savory offering has excellent volume, plenty of concentration, and enough structure to evolve for 1-2 years. It will drink nicely for the next 8-10 years."
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2007 SAGGI - 90 POINTS
"Ripe, supple and polished, this is generous with its black cherry, floral and white pepper flavors, finishing with grace and harmony. Drink now through 2015." |
Giovanni Folonari is a frequent visitor to the Columbia Valley and has quickly found the vineyards that allow him to craft a wine that combines Columbia Valley terroir with Tuscan style. Relying on vineyards that have been the primary source of this wine in previous vintages, Giovanni selected Sangiovese predominately grown in the Horse Heaven Hills for its balance and bright fruit character. Horse Heaven Cabernet Sauvignon, from Alder Ridge Vineyard and The Benches, adds complexity and earthiness. Yakima Valley Syrah contributes to the wine’s balance and freshness.
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.
