Agiorghitiko Brachetto Ice Wine Sangiovese
The Agiorgitiko grape varietal is grown widely throughout Greece and certain other countries, and is prized for the fact it is highly heat resistant, and can thrive on even quite arid and infertile land. It has been cultivated for millennia in the Nemea region of the Peloponnese mountains, where it remains highly popular to this day. It is a grape varietal which can take on wide range of characteristics, from highly tannic and astringent to rather soft and rounded, and responds well to a variety of wine making techniques and methods. Typically, the Agiorgitiko grape varietal produces wines which are quite spicy, and hold plummy and dark fruit flavors It has been successfully blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, and is a popular grape varietal in many countries around the world.
Brachetto is a delicate red wine grape grown predominantly in the Piedmont region of northern Italy, where it has been cultivated and used in the production of a range of wines for centuries. The grapes usually hold delicate flavors of summer berries, most notably strawberries, and are used to make light bodied, extremely drinkable wines perfect for hot sunny days. Their thin skins mean that they are usually low in tannins, which results in a silky smooth, mild red wine. Because of their lightness and fresh, summery flavors, they are also used to make excellent sparkling wines, similar to a Lambrusco. They are a highly aromatic grape varietal, and in recent decades they have started to be planted in many New World countries with similar climatic conditions to their native Italy.
The name of this grape, meaning 'blood of Jove' conjures up evocative images of long dead civilizations, and gives the Sangiovese varietal a sense of the holy, the sacred, the special. Indeed, this particular type of Italian grape has been cultivated and processed for thousands of years, and is said to be the original favorite grape varietal of the Romans, and the Etruscans before them. Throughout history, vintners have continued to plant this varietal, and they continue to produce wonderful wines to this day. The long bunches of very dark, round fruit are treasured by fine wineries in Italy and a few other places around the world, and when young, these grapes are lively – full of strawberry flavors and a little spiciness. However, it is when they are aged in oak that they take on some truly special flavors and aromas, as seen in some of the finest wines of the Old World.