The fruit for the 2007 Lethbridge Sangiovese is all estate grown and represents the first attempt in growing this complex grape variety in the Geelong area. The aim was to produce a wine with elegance and complexity with a food friendly focus. This wine displays the typical Sangiovese aromas of sour Morello cherry laced with redcurrant, briar and spice. The palate is complex with spicy and savoury overtones and finishes with excellent acid and lingering fine tannins.
The fruit for the 2007 Lethbridge Sangiovese was hand-picked at 13.5 Bé and pH 3.25 from vines yielding less than 1.0 tonnes/acre. Fruit was 100% destemmed. Pre-fermentation maceration ensued for approximately 10 days until indigenous yeast fermentation started. Fermentation in small 1000L open vats proceeded for 7 days with pigéage four times per day; temperature peaked at 30°C. Fermentation was followed by 18 days post-fermentation maceration on skins. Pressing was straight to barrel (15% new French oak). Wine in barrel went through natural MLF, which finished in December 2007. Wines were racked twice and after 11 months maturation the barrels were blended with a touch of Zinfandel to add a spice component to the aroma and the wine bottled without filtration in February 2008.
