California’s First “Super Tuscan”
Ferrari-Carano


Situation

Despite its early promise, the Sangiovese grape seems to prefer Italy to California and most offerings of a varietal wine from the state fell short of expectations. Wiith significant acreage planted to the grape and with the wine’s attractive strawberry aromas, the winery owners did not want to abandon the idea altogether.

Objective

Create a Sangiovese-based wine with the freshness and fruitiness of traditional Chianti but also with the body and fullness that would make it worthy of the winery’s portfolio

Tactics

Sangiovese crop loads were reduced and the vineyard was managed as if it were cabernet sauvignon. Selected lots of aroma-neutral cabernet sauvignon and merlot were prepared for blending. These added the required body without interfering with the signature Sangiovese aromas.

Result

California’s first and clearly most popular “Super Tuscan” blend with a allocated annual production of 30,000 cases.