2002 Sean Thackrey Aquila Eaglepoint Ranch Sangiovese

WINE TALK
1

OK, no way I’d guess this wine blind and, excluding Vino Noceto, I have likely had less than 12 domestic Sangiovese wines in my lifetime. Nose was like a sweet, light Cab Sav with some oak apparent; I think I would have guessed Sonoma Cab from a good year. Mouthfeel quite nice and while tannic there are tons of red fruit throughout and I think I would have guessed maybe muscular Pinot, while commenting how different the nose and taste were for me. Finish medium with some drying tannins still - this wine goes 5 more years effortlessly. After 3 hours in a decanter the wine becomes rounder (maybe I just got used to the tannins?) and the whole effect of the wine just seemed more harmonious.

2

Glenn,

Thanks for the note. Had the '03 recently and really enjoyed it. I also probably would have guessed Pinot if tasted blind. I’ll have to give the '02 a try soon.

Cheers, [cheers.gif]

Steve

3

Having the 03 tonight and from the nose alone I’d bet real money on Bordeaux or Caldeaux. Fruit is red in this vintage too and maybe if I were on my game tonight I’d guess Super Tuscan after drinking a whole glass. Really good bottle and so glad I have more.

4

Glenn - Have you had the 1999 Scholium To Kalon Sangiovese! The BEST domestic Sangiovese.

5

Only that once @ Abe’s party, and it was sublime. Mel made terrific basil sausages from Lockeford tonight with fresh brushetta, you guys would have loved this meal.

6

To Kalon Sangiovese??? That’s just craaaazzzzy!

7

Drank my last 02 about a year ago - no notes, and no recollection sorry.
I seem to have 1 bottle each of the 2000 and 2003 remaining - not sure why, but could be a good curiosity tasting some day.
The bottle of 2000 I have is labeled, but there were 2 releases of this wine. The first was shipped to the list completely unlabeled/unmarked. I have no idea whether this was legal - how could it be? But later he labeled and shipped the bulk of the wine.

Not to introduce reality into the conversation but my records show I paid like $45 a bottle for these wines.
Those were headier times, but this is no longer a QPR in my current, downturn mindset.
OTOH the money is a long lost thing of the past - so lets just crack these puppies. Just need to find an excuse.

8

I drank through a bunch of the 2002 in the past few years after a distributor change and they were blown out for $25. They seemed like light Chianti Classicos to me - not dissimilar from your notes. Much better qpr at $25 than $45 :slight_smile:

9

Thanks for the note, Glenn. Glad to see this is still drinking well

10

Where could I track down the '99 Scholium Sangio? Nothing comes up on W-S.

11

it is the first wine that I ever made! home brew. not a commercial release. I had about 18 bottles left from the original 44 cases and lost 12 of them when I moved this winter! tragedy. when I brought a bottle to John Kongsgaard to try, he picked it up, swirled it, smelled it, tasted it, put the glass down, and said: “Oh well. That is the best wine you will ever make.”

12

You lost a case? Like misplaced or dropped and broken lost?

Tragedy of Grecian proportion.

13

[cheers.gif]

14

Been 5 years for this thread so why not a resurrection?

Roses & liquor on the nose, if you are averse to heat I don’t think this wine aged to your liking. Beautiful long finish makes this wine worthy tonight. Cherries on the palate but refined; an hour into drinking it I might have guessed Bordeaux, from say 2003. Still has perceptible tannin but they’re not drying or obtrusive. Enjoyed from Zalto Burg stems, everyone else at the table liked this a bit more than I did tonight.