Stolpman Vineyards "Love You Bunches" Sangiovese 2022

Bright red raspberry, red currant, rhubarb, and violet. Refreshing to the max but bone dry with just a kiss of fine tannin. Just enough of a riper profile behind the bright “ray of sunshine” energetic cut. Candied cherries and red jolly ranchers bring home the deliciousness quotient.

"Love You Bunches" is a wine with roots in a 2016 wedding attended by vigneron Pete Stolpman, where his Stolpman carbonic Sangiovese was served as the party wine. Fast-forward to today and we have the most recent release of this juice-bomb, renamed "Love You Bunches" (a reference to the use of whole grape bunches during the fermentation). Bursting with vibrant energy, the carbonic Sangiovese is a light-hearted wine meant for drinking chilled. Firm, crunchy cherries and juicy red berries with zesty acidity and a popping tannin structure make this wine extremely food friendly. Organically grown, low-intervention/natural wine.

Stolpman Vineyards is considered the founding vineyard of the Ballard Canyon AVA within Santa Barbara, which was granted official status in 2013. Over a dozen wineries have joined the AVA and all have decided to focus on Syrah, based on Stolpman's results in varietal experimentation. They’ve also had great success with Sangiovese, with the hot, dry days providing favorable conditions for the traditional Italian grape.

Sangiovese as a grape, is both highly tannic and high in acid – a one-two combination that can deliver a whopping blow to the palate. Before experimenting with carbonic fermentation, Stolpman intentionally picked Sangiovese on the ripe side to allow for tannins and acids to soften, then aged the wine in barrel for 30 months and another six months in bottle prior to release. The extended age allowed for the tannin and acid to integrate, as the fruit profile and mid-palate richness enveloped any harshness on the finish. 

Carbonic Fermentation –- allowing the grapes to ferment whole, uncrushed in a sealed tank -– allows for a red wine containing only a fraction of the tannin present in a traditionally fermented red wine. Without the threat of an overly tannic wine, the grapes can be picked earlier, at lower sugar and higher, refreshing acidity. The wine is bottled within months of harvest, locking in the fresh, un-oxidized profile.