Venge Vineyards Oakville Napa Valley Penny Lane Family Reserve Sangiovese 2000
Christmas Day family dinner ... eight degrees outside, Linda made hearty lasagna so I pulled a Family Reserve Sangiovese from the cellar. It was a perfect combination.We discovered, first tasted and purchased this wine during our winery visit and at a lunch tasting with winemaker Nils Venge as part of our Napa Valley Wine Experience 2002. At lunch with Nils Venge, he spoke of the Family Reserve label being a testament to an annual gathering of the extended family coming together to harvest the Penny Lane Vineyard for this and a few other select wines. In earlier blog posts I've written about that visit and previous tasting notes, other vintage tasting notes, and Nils Venge, his work with the Sangiovese grape varietal and its history.Venge's label series also features a collection of original art work labels.
Continuing to show its age, approaching the last chapter of its aging profile, its time to consume these thirteen year olds, we're nearing the end of our assorted case of these Sangiovese's.
As with earlier tasting notes, the 2000 Venge Vineyards Sangiovese is grown on the Venge Family Estate Penny Lane Vineyard in Oakville. Ripe and smooth for a Sangiovese, the 2000 is dark inky color but starting to show a tinge of rust and brown edges at this stage of life. Medium bodied, it still presents pretty, ripe black cherry and blackberry fruit flavors at its core highlighted by a layer of herb and anise notes and touch of leather and tobacco. It has a flavorful lush long finish.
RM 90 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=17566
http://www.vengevineyards.com/