La Cereza Announces Sangiovese Release

by Cheri Linn

It was bound to happen eventually; it was never a matter of “if,” but only “when.” In congruence with the winery’s Mediterranean flair and winemaking gumption, and to the delight of its many fans (and hopefully soon-to-be fans), La Cereza is preparing to “up the stakes” with the first-ever release of a Sangiovese wine.

So what is it about this wine that’s causing so much buzz among the folks at La Cereza?

Well, perhaps it was the wine’s immaculate reception during its premier at Temecula Valleys Harvest Barrel Tasting, held November 3 – 4, 2007.

The barrel tasting allowed participating Temecula wineries to showcase their “best of the best” to about a thousand wine drinkers, many of whom had yet to experience some of the hidden gems found only in Temecula. Never to be outshined, La Cereza audaciously introduced a wine that was essentially still in the works at the time; a wine that hasn’t even been bottled yet (creating for many a truly authentic barrel-tasting experience), and had never been released under the La Cereza label.

“We feel that this wine is particularly special, “ said Buddy Linn, owner of La Cereza Vineyard and Winery. “Not only because it’s a new endeavor for us, but because it just tastes so darn good. And now after such a successful reception during the tasting, we’re even more excited about its release.”

Produced by La Cereza’s winemaker Gus Vizgirda and his staff, this earthy, fruit-forward wine is similar in style to many of the Sangiovese wines grown in California.

“It’s a little bigger, a little fruitier than its Italian cousin, “said Vizgirda. “It has aromas a bit more subtle than some other reds, but has a mid-palate loaded with spice, ripe strawberry, blueberry and vanilla, along with some faint floral and violet accents. The acidity is even and balanced and the tannins are very soft and smooth.”

Introduced in California in the late 1800’s by Italian Immigrants, this noble and ancient grape varietal, originally called Sanguis Jovis, the Latin translation for “Blood of Jove,” traces its ancestry back thousands of years, as it is believed to have been cultivated by the pre-Roman Etruscans. Since then, Sangiovese has flourished in Northern Italy’s Tuscan region, known by most wine drinkers as Chianti. Well-suited to southern California’s hot, dry summers, paired with consistent sunny days, Californian wine growers, however, are now beginning to see astonishing results in the production of this grape.

And La Cereza is proud to now be among those ranks.

Folks interested in purchasing La Cereza’s Sangiovese can do so by filling out a pre-order sheet at the winery, by telephone (1-951-676-1711), or at the winery’s website at www.lacerezawinery.com. This wine can be purchased for $18.95.