Curated from the best regions, vineyards and vintages, the Fine Wine Collection is meant to celebrate winemaking at its finest. This wine represents our commitment to excellence, to exploration and to you.
The 2020 vintage can be summarized by patience and perseverance. After an early start to the growing season, vineyards saw little rain, which reduced yields, and created drought-like conditions that affected the plains and hills differently. This meant harvest had to be timed carefully to align ripeness levels. Come mid-September, our moment arrived. Gathering in the cool night hours, we handpicked our Sangiovese, diligently selecting only the best clusters to ensure our wine would be well worth the wait.
Tuscany’s neighbor, Rubicone, is located within Emilia-Romagna and stretches from the sunkissed hills of Bologna to the stunning Adriatic coast. Sangiovese makes up half of the region’s vineyards, thriving in the rocky Apennine foothills, fertile plains and clay soils. This slow-ripening variety takes advantage of a long summer cooled by breezes from the Adriatic Sea. These expressions of Sangiovese are often softer and more fruit forward than their Tuscan counterparts.
Our Sangiovese greets the nose with an aromatic medley of sage, tobacco and ripe strawberry notes. The palate displays red cherry and pomegranate flavors on the front of each sip that fades to espresso and oak, leading to a dry, structured finish with firm tannins and mouthwatering acidity. This wine is an optimal pairing partner to traditional Italian recipes and family meals with flavors that will evolve in the glass as dinner conversation lingers on.
Red cherry, pomegranate, strawberry, sage, oak, espresso, tobacco
Profile
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This Sangiovese offers a food-friendly structure with balanced fruit, savory and oak-driven elements. Bold tannins and high acidity levels are perfect for hearty red meats like ribeye or flatiron steak. Vegetables will pair best in the form of rich pasta dishes topped with tomato-based sauces and generous amounts of shaved cheese. This wine opens up more the longer it’s in your glass, meaning there is plenty of time to try a homemade pasta recipe or slow-cook a stew from scratch.
Menu suggestions
• Eggplant parmesean
• Ribollita stew
• Italian ciambotta
• Tagliatelle pasta with Italian beef ragu
• Short rib ravioli with brown butter and sage sauce
• Beef braciole
Temperature: Room temperature (60–65°F)
Decanting time: 30 minutes
Glassware: Bordeaux glass
Under the cork lives the reward of hard work and passion for what we do. After meticulous sorting, we transfer only the best grapes to stainless steel vats to be crushed and left to spend extra time on the skins before fermentation. To capture and convey Sangiovese’s varietal purity and fruit-forward character, we carefully monitor temperatures, constantly checking to ensure flavors and structure remain balanced before a subtle touch of oak adds depth to a well-rounded wine.
• Fermentation in stainless steel preserves freshness and does not impart flavor.
• Oak contact adds complexity and flavor while softening tannins.
• Harvesting at night preserves acidity and delicate aromas.
• Hand-harvesting allows for meticulous fruit selection before winery sorting.
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2020 Castello di Izola Sangiovese Rubicone IGT, Italyfirstleaf.wine/rate
