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Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Venge Family Reserve Sangiovese 1997 - Italian Pasta & Sausage

Venge Family Reserve Sangiovese 1997 - Italian Pasta & Sausage

Dark purple - medium - full bodied, the bright lively forward fruits from last tasting two years are starting to diminish and give way to non-fruit flavors. The red berry, ripe plum and spicy cherry are giving way to tones of leather, tobacco leaf, cedar and a layer of anise on a lingering subtle tannin finish. Starting to show its age and reach that chapter of life in this seventeen year old.

Nice complement to Italian pasta with sausage. 

This is the last bottle from a mixed case we picked up at the winery during  one of our several visits back in the nineties and into the millennium. (Our visit during our Napa Wine Experience 2002).

Producer Nils Venge was a pioneer of Sangiovese in Napa Valley. He planted some at his Penny Lane Oakville Estate. He also produced some as consulting winemaker to Del Dotto from three rows of Sangiovese they planted at the residence on the Estate along Highway 29 at Zinfandel Lane just south of St Helena in the Rutherford District.

RM 87 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=50439

Rick, AJ and Nils Venge at Tra Vigne during
2002 Napa Wine Experience