Print this Wine         1996 Pikes "Premio" Sangiovese   POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY                 January Release   Italian Varietals       It seems only logical given the warm Australian climate that our Winemakers would experiment with Italian grape varieties. It has been quite a long time coming, however, the wait is worthwhile. Garry Crittenden has been a pioneer with his "I" range and now Neil Pike has released this supreme Sangiovese. Neil is justifiably very happy with this wine. The wine appears to lack the intensity of a typical Clare Valley red wine because it does not have a purple hue, but this is consistent with the grape variety and it is a rich brick red color, but most importantly the color is all the way to the rim of the glass. Immediately the bouquet takes you to Italy. Sour cherries as far as fruit but also nutty and earthy components. Pure Sangiovese, just a little sweeter and riper than a typical Chianti however. On the palate the richness, due to a slightly warmer and more generous climate, is a little more obvious. The wine is rich without being overwhelming and the mouth-feel is quite voluminous but there is still drying tannins and a high crisp acidity at the finish. The wine will improve with a couple of years in the bottle but it is not a long term cellar proposition, at least it is almost impossible to gauge as this is the first vintage. Still the wine is such attractive drinking as a youngster this should not present any problems. For food matches obviously Italian inspired food would be a great choice, particularly creamy pasta dishes and slow cooked braised joints of meat as here the drying grip of the tannin would be softened and in turn the fruit characters will be highlighted.

Varietal All Varietals Bordeaux Blends Cabernet Sauvignon Chardonnay Colombard Dessert Wine Grenache Grenache Mourvedre Shiraz Grenache Rose Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre Italian Varietals Marsanne Viognier Merlot Mourvedre Mourvedre Mourvedre Shiraz Grenache Muscadelle Muscat Other Pinot Grigio Pinot Gris Pinot Noir Port Riesling Rose Saignee Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Shiraz Shiraz Grenache Mourvedre Shiraz Mourvedre Grenache Shiraz Petit Sirah Shiraz Viognier Syrah Viognier Estate All Estates Aramis Vineyards Blackbilly Bowen Estate Clonakilla Coates Craiglee Elderton Fireblock Flinders Bay Frankland Estate Grosset Wines Heathcote II Hill of Content Mount Horrocks Primo Estate / Joseph Rocky Gully Rutherglen Estates Sir Paz Estate The Catcher Wines The Jumping Grape Wines The Old Faithful The Wishing Tree Tir na N'og Region All Regions Adelaide Hills Adelaide Plains Auburn Australian Capital Territory Barossa Ranges Barossa Valley Blewitt Springs Bowen Estate Canberra District Cardinia Hills Cardinia Ranges Central Victoria Clare Valley Clarendon Coonawarra Cowra Eden Valley Fleurieu Frankland Geelong Great Western Griffith Heathcote Hilltops Region Hunter Valley Kangarilla King Valley Langhorne Creek Lenswood Lower Hunter Valley Macedon Ranges Margaret River McLaren Vale Mornington Peninsula Mount Carmel Murrenbateman New South Wales Norton Summit Nuriootpa Old Garden Vineyard Padthaway Piccadilly Polish Hill River Riverina Rutherglen Sevenhills South Australia Sunbury Tanunda Upper Beaconsfield Victoria Watervale West Australia Western Australia Woodside Yarra Valley Keyword Include Museum Notes? Yes   No Show me more wines: of this vintage of this varietal by this estate from this region