Watkins Langhorne Creek Ruscello Sangiovese 2021

Sangiovese (san-jo-veh-zeh) is a red Italian wine grape variety whose name derives from the Latin sanguis Jovis, "the blood of Jove". Known throughout most of central Italy, outside Italy it is most famous as the main component of the blend Chianti, Carmignano, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Morellino di Scansano, although it can also be used to make varietal wines such as Brunello di Montalcino, Rosso di Montalcino or Sangiovese di Romagna, as well as modern "Super Tuscan" wines like Tignanello. Young Sangiovese has fresh fruity flavours of strawberry and a little spiciness, but it readily takes on oaky, even tarry, flavors when aged in barrels.

In Australia

Sangiovese is becoming increasingly popular as a red wine grape here in Australia, having been introduced by the CSIRO in the late 1960s. This is part of a growing trend in Australia to use a wider range of grape varieties for winemaking. As in California, Australian winemakers have begun seeking out the best vineyard

Around 50km southeast of Adelaide, and just north of Lake Alexandrina, Langhorne Creek is one of the oldest vineyard regions in South Australia. With vines first planted in 1860's, it is predominately a producer of full-bodied reds. Cabernet sauvignon and shiraz do well in the cool climate, and benefit from the unique soils along the riverbanks.

The climate is often cool, with southerly winds coming in from the ocean and blowing straight across Lake Alexandrina. Like most South Australian regions, the heat will kick in when the wind comes down from the north in summer, but there are intermittent and not as constant as they are up north in the Barossa. Soils are deep, sandy loams, regularly flooded in winter by diverting the nearby Bremer River into the vineyards. This all adds up to vigorous vines with generous canopies,