Beverage of the Week (B.O.W)
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BOW for the Week of: September 28 to October 4, 2011
Regular BevX readers are well-aware of our unabashed affection for value beverages and our fondness of Pietra Santa Winery in California's Cienega Valley. This winery has all of the bases covered in our eyes. It's a strikingly beautiful property that grows fruit with incredible balance and character. The winery's owners are authentic and passionate people while their winemaker, Alessio Carli, is undeniably charismatic and uniquely talented.
Pietra Santa makes a wide range of wines and typically we usually veer toward their great Italian varietals. I have a particular affection for these varietals and Pietra Santa’s winemaker, Alessio Carli, is Italian born and trained. Knowing this, I have been a bit surprised that Alessio has always talked about the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grown at Pietra Santa. The Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is produced from vineyard blocks with an average age of more than 20 years.
Like all of Pietra Santa’s wines, this gorgeous example demonstrates ideal balance with abundant natural acidity that makes this wine such a star at the dinner table. We would put this Wine up against California Cabernets costing three times as much or more. This is a big and bold Wine that it is wonderfully balanced with a great dose of natural acidity and supple tannins. It's beautiful to drink today but it will evolve nicely in your cellar for a decade or more.
