You may remember that I posted not too long ago about my visit to Childress Vineyards in Lexington, North Carolina. They have a full complement of selections to choose from, but I left with a bottle of their Sangiovese in hand. I was a little surprised to learn from the Childress folks that the grapes for this wine were grown in a vineyard just a few miles from the winery itself. North Carolina Sangiovese? I seriously had to give it a try!
Winemaker: Childress Vineyards
Wine: Sangiovese Gianni Vineyards
Varietal: Sangiovese
Vintage: 2010
Appellation: North Carolina
Price: $16.99
Notes: You know how some garnets as well as raw steaks have a red coloring with a brown overtone? That was the color of this Childress. The bouquet held scents of tart red berries, pepper, wood, and a touch of must. It was light-bodied with a definite viscosity on the tongue. Tannins were quite gentle, and acidity was quite high. Alcohol was at 13.5%. On the tongue I found it very peppery with bright cherry and raspberry, a light oakiness, some jalapeno pepper and quinine on the close. I enjoyed this selection. The very present acidity – which brought those touches of jalapeno – reminded me more of a Garnacha than the typical Sangiovese.