2020 Long Shadows Saggi, Columbia Valley, USA (750ml)

WINEMAKER’S NOTES

Vibrant and darkly hued in the glass, with juicy black currant, red fruit and oak spice aromas. On entry, a textured, lively mouthfeel enhances the wine’s intense fruit character. Flavorful notes of wild strawberry and sour cherry are beautifully balanced with just the right amount of acidity stretching across a persistent finish.

Blend: 62% Sangiovese, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Syrah

TASTING NOTES:

The 2020 Saggi is composed of 62% Sangiovese, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Syrah. The nose opens with classic red fruits and a floral and dusty note that wafts from the glass, then delightful and seductive dark fruit and baked clay notes release with additional time in the glass and swirling. Full-bodied, the Sangiovese blend offers a firm mouthfeel and bright and energetic cherry flavors before dusty florals grip the mid-palate. The wine continues to uncoil, offering notes of black raspberry over the succulent, food-friendly finish and lingering tannic edge. Bravo!

– Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, 94 pts.

The Saggi is a blend of 62% Sangiovese, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Syrah. Its combination of fine-grained tannins and crisp acidity is the perfect foil for rich flavors of tart black cherries, vanilla beans and mocha lattes. The wine’s aromas of dried rose petals, sweet raspberries and cacao nibs are equally pleasing.

– Wine Enthusiast, 93 pts.

Notes of cassis, blackberries, black coffee, cocoa powder, toasted cedar and graphite. Full and structured with firm, slightly chewy tannins and mellow fruity ripeness coming through. The finish is rich and succulent with some creaminess to it.

– James Suckling, 93 pts.

Lastly, the 2020 Saggi Red Wine is made by the talented Gilles Nicault (who is also the genius behind the quality of all these Long Shadows releases) and is 62% Sangiovese, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Syrah. Terrific red and black fruits, white pepper, sandalwood, and smoky oak all emerge on the nose, and its medium to full-bodied, has a balanced, layered mouthfeel, good length on the finish, and an overriding sense of purity and elegance that you dont find often in the vintage. It will have 10-15 years of longevity.

– Jeb Dunnuck, 93 pts.