Balgownie Estate Black Label Bendigo Sangiovese 2013

Tony Winspear from Balgownie wrote a great letter to accompany this Sangio, where he described the parched spot where the Balgownie Sangio is planted as ‘lizard country’.

Love it.

There’s much promise with this Sangio too. As Tony noted, the vines are naturally low cropping (often too low) with small berries and typically good natural acidity. That means no acid additions needed, and producing a wine that Tony’s quite proud of.

Fermented in older oak, with careful pre and post ferment maceration to give structure.

Dark red in colour, there is just a little stewed fruit on the nose (a nod to extended maceration), but there is also the classic ‘wild berry’ Sangio character. Indeed there is a strong black and red berry streak right through the middle, before a finish of sappy tannins and natural acidity.