Alessandro Stefani 2022 Yarra Valley Sangiovese 'La Vignola'

"Mid-2024 a friend of mine tipped me off that a young, articulate, and German-trained Australian-Italian (!!) winemaker was making the rounds with some newly released Yarra Valley wines. I caught up with Alessandro having heard breathless praise from my colleague and started a strong friendship from minute one. His wines are simply spectacular and he makes some of the very best monovarietal Sangiovese and Cabernet Franc in the country. All this from his first vintage. The 'La Vignola' is YV Sangiovese made from a lighter-skin, lower tannin, later-ripening clone originally sourced from Alessandro's great-aunt's garden. The 'La Vignola' pours a strong, transparent ruby and offers clearly delineated aromas of rose, red fruits, and bresaola. As with all his wines, further time in the glass brings out deeper-pitched fruit and mineral touches as well as some herbal notes. A delicate and pretty wine, medium to lighter bodied with fine acidity and elegant framing tannins. Morello cherry, candied rose petal, and notes of blood orange on the close. This is one of the finest examples of Sangiovese in the country, perhaps second only to Alessandro's more premium 'Boccolo' cuvee." - David