I’ll admit that I have been enamored by Sanguis wines since I first tried them in 2011. With superstar winemaker, Mattias Pippig, at the helm, Sanguis has been lighting up the Santa Barbara wine scene with their impressive range of wines, from Viognier to Cabernet Franc. Latin for blood, the German-born Matthias Pippig previously worked as a wine importer for Marc DeGrazia Selections, and Estate Wines, before starting his winery in the Santa Ynez Valley. If you haven’t had the chance to try his wines, you are in for a serious treat.
Pippig changes blends yearly in his Rhône and Bordeaux style wines, hand sorts each wine and never makes the same wine twice. Many of his wines weigh in at over 15% alcohol but they do not present as highly alcoholic. These wines are sourced from some of the best vineyards in the Santa Barbara and Central Coast area. He makes some of the best white blends in California. The new edition, the 2015 Sanguis ‘Wildflower’ White Wine (WWB, 95) is a mesmerizing blend of Marsanne, Viognier and Roussanne that shows a silky texture and voluptuous mouthfeel. This is a white wine that will cellar marvelously for a decade or more. Just as good was the 2015 Sanguis ‘Bossman’ Syrah (WWB, 95) which has a marvelous mouthfeel and compelling tension. This inky Syrah is impossible to resist right now but will have a long life in the cellar. Learn more about these very special wines at sanguiswine.com or visit their hip tasting room in downtown Santa Barbara, which is by appointment. Here are the new releases by Sanguis.
2015 Sanguis ‘Wildflower’ White Wine- The 2015 Sanguis ‘Wildflower’ is a compelling proprietary blend of Marsanne, Viognier and Roussanne that was aged for an extended period of time in oak puncheons. Showing a golden hue, this starts off with a bright bouquet of lemon blossom, apricot jelly, star jasmine, vanilla cream and toasted macadamia nut. The striking nose really brings you back to the glass for more enjoyment. Once in the mouth, a ripe, almost unctuous texture greets you. The weight of the wine delights the senses, as does the wonderful poise. Lemon oil, kumquat, apricot jelly and honeydew melon flavors come to mind. A stunning white blend, this one of a kind wine is one for the cellar and will continue to develop marvelously over the next decade or more. Drink 2018-2028- 95
2014 Sanguis ‘Loner Flavonius’ Chardonnay- This Bien Nacido Vineyard bottling opens with a ripe bouquet of smoke, crushed diatomaceous earth, and Pink Lady apple on the nose. The palate builds after considerable air, as the wine slowly reveals wonderful lemon creme brulee, Gala apple, cardamom and butterscotch flavors. The salinity, weight and smooth texture of this wine is really outstanding. A downright stunner, this gorgeous Chardonnay will continue to pick up lovely tertiary notes as the wine evolves over the next decade. Drink 2018-2030- 94
2015 Sanguis ‘The Highlands’ Red Wine- The 2015 ‘The Highlands’ Red Wine is a proprietary blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot all sourced from the Santa Ynez Valley. The wine was aged in a combination of new and aged French oak for 27 months prior to bottling. The nose is highly perfumed, and after a two hour decant unveils ripe blackberry cobbler, green olive, black tea and coffee ground aromatics. The palate shows wonderful weight, poise and texture, yielding intense dark fruit flavors and exuding elegance despite the obvious heat of the vintage. This is a simply marvelous effort by superstar winemaker, Mattias Pippig. Drink 2018-2035- 94
2015 Sanguis ‘Misfit’ Red Wine- Always a proprietary blend, in 2015 winemaker Mattias Pippig has blended Syrah with Grenache, Cabernet Franc, Petite Syrah and Viognier. Inky and dense in the glass, the wine slowly yields intense mocha, Asian spice, creme de cassis and damp earth aromatics that build in the glass. The palate shows sensational weight and texture, while the Viognier adds some floral tones on the mid-palate. Dense dark fruits connect with coffee grounds, and creosote flavors. A stunner, this one of a kind wine displays a sensational combination of weight and poise. While gorgeous in the glass now, this will continue to evolve well for the next fifteen plus years. Drink 2018-2033- 94
2015 Sanguis ‘Bossman’ Red Wine- The ‘Bossman’ is an intense blend of Syrah, Petite Sirah, and Grenache with a touch of Viognier. Needing roughly a two hour decant to fully express itself the wine slowly unveils rose petal, red cherry candy, guava puree and coffee ground aromatics with a touch of honeysuckle from the Viognier. The aromatic range at play is simply stunning. The silky mouthfeel wonderfully coats the mid-palate. As the wine continues to build in the glass it showcases a marvelous combination of red and dark fruits with a touch of chocolate covered espresso bean. Seductive, decadent and refined, this one of a kind bottling by superstar Mattias Pippig is not to be missed. Drink 2018-2035- 95