It was back in 2011 when I was at a rather serious tasting in the Seattle area. I had never tasted Sanguis wines before but I was immediately struck by the depth and complexity of these wines. My mind instantly went to Sine Qua Non when I tried their Syrah wine merely based on the insanely good texture and range. Gratifying and well-structured, superstar winemaker, Mattias Pippig crafts some scintillating wines for his winery, Sanguis, truly one of the great boutique wineries in California. Pippig produces a really novel 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.These are a must-buy for any serious collector of California wines.
Pippig changes blends yearly in his Rhône and Bordeaux style wines, hand sorts each wine and never makes the same wine twice. While many of the wines weigh in at more than 15% alcohol, they do not present as highly alcoholic. However, the theme of impressive weight and tension runs through all of his wines.
For my palate Pippig crafts makes some of the great and unique white blends in California. The new edition, the 2018 Sanguis Tell-Tale Heart’ White Wine (OB, 94) is dense and massively concentrated from the Marsanne and finishes exceedingly long. This is just a beautiful wine even to enjoy so young. Even better is the thrilling 2018 Sanguis ‘Optimist’ Red Wine (OB, 96) which shows insanely good range and texture with loads of nuance.This surely 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.
2019 Sanguis ‘Gypsy Soul’ Rose- This is now the 9th edition of this wine. Showing off its beautiful salmon hue, the heady aromatics are downright intoxicating with rose water and orange peel tones alongside red currants and toasty oak. Once on the mouth, the flavor density, richness and bright acidity of the wine all deftly combine. This red fruit and rose water driven wine finishes exceedingly long. Utterly sensational now, the 2018 ‘Gypsy Soul’ Rose has a long way to go in the cellar. Drink 2021-2029- 94
2018 Sanguis ‘Spiritual Gatherings’ White Wine- A compelling blend of Chardonnay and Roussanne, this saw 25 months of large used barrels and stainless steel prior to bottling. High-toned honeysuckle and white rose meld with honeydew melon and wet stone tones on the nose. The palate is fresh and lively with a good sense of acidity and concentration. Ripe citrus and orchard fruits mingle with vanilla cream tones on the palate. Really good now, this has another decade of life ahead of it. Drink 2021-2029- 93
2018 Sanguis ‘Tell-Tale Heart’ White Wine- A truly unique wine comprised Marsanne, Chardonnay, Roussanne and Viognier, the nose reminds me most of Marsanne with its buttery edge with roasted Macadamia nut, lychee and dense melon fruits that combine aromatically. The palate has seriously good range from green papaya and heavy whipping cream to toasty brioche, and salty undertones. Drink 2021-2031- 94
2018 Sanguis ‘Verve’ Red Wine- The 2018 ‘Verve’ is a sensational blend of Grenache, Petit Verdot and Roussane that saw 25 months of large format used oak before bottling. The nose is highly complex from red florals and lemon blossom to cardamon dusted French bread and garrigue tones that all meld in the glass. The palate is plush with a sensational sense of texture. Ripe red fruits parade with minerals, blood orange rind and stony minerals on the palate. The gratifying length provides the perfect ending as this has another fifteen years of life ahead of it. Drink 2021-2035- 95
2018 Sanguis ‘The Modern’ Red Wine- The 2018 ‘The Modern’ blends Syrah, Viognier, Petit Verdot and a touch of Marsanne. The lemon blossom high-tones from the Viognier and Marsanne are really lovely and combine with a brilliant core of red and dark fruits with creosote accents aromatically. The palate is dense and beautifully concentrated, with a massive wall of dark fruits, alongside citrus rind, scorched earth and tobacco leaf flavors. Downright delicious now, this has a long way to go. Drink 2021-2033- 95
2018 Sanguis ‘Optimist’ Red Wine- The 2018 ‘Optimist’ combines Syrah, Grenache, Petit Verdot and Roussane that were all aged for 25 months in a combination of new and used oak barrels before bottling. The palate is plush and beautifully textured, with insanely good length. The fruit quality is very pretty with cranberry, teaberry and linzer torte, alongside dried herbs, orange rind and melon undertones. Complex and delicious now, with good finesse, this beautiful, one of a kind wine, would be a remarkable pairing for duck a l’orange. Drink 2021-2035- 96
2018 Sanguis ‘Bossman’ Red Wine- The 2018 ‘Bossman’ combines Syrah, Grenache, Viognier and Cabernet Franc. This is dense wine without being overly heavy and drinks much better at a slightly cooler temperature, helping out the Grenache and Viognier play their role. Silky tannins line this outstanding wine that exudes class from start to finish. Layers of very pretty red fruits mingle with rose water, tar, orange zest and cinnamon sticks on the palate. The lighter herbal undertones add to the complexity here. Sinfully good in its youth, this has a long way to go in the cellar. Drink 2021-2035- 95
2018 Sanguis ‘1/1’ Syrah- The 2018 ‘1/1’ shows off a light dusting of white pepper alongside smoked brisket, dark currants, black tea and exotic spices on the nose. The palate is soft, plush and really inviting. Sour red fruits collide with blackberry cobbler, coffee grounds, kumquat zest, and tobacco leaf tones on the palate. The flavor range is just sensational, building with each sip. Really good even at the three year mark, this will cellar for at least another decade. Drink 2021-2033- 94
2018 Sanguis ‘The Highlands’ Red Wine- The 2018 Sanguis ‘The Highlands’ Red Wine is a sensational blend of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Layers of red and dark fruits collide with smoky minerals, wet stone, tobacco leaf and citrus zest undertones. Soft and round on the palate, with beautiful length, this has a long way to go in the cellar. Drink 2021-2033- 94
2017 Sanguis ‘Tell Me A Tale’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2017 ‘Tell Me A Tale’ saw 26 months of large format oak prior to bottling, Aromatically this is beautifully expressive with pencil lead and dark currant aromas alongside potpourri and shades of mocha. The palate is dense and delicious with layers of dark frutis, creosote, coffee grounds and tar. Soft and generous on the mouth this exudes class with its massive core of dark fruits, espresso bean, tobacco and sagebrush tones. This has potentially two decades to go. Drink 2021-2038- 95
2017 Sanguis ‘Nothing If Not A Game’ Red Wine- The ‘Nothing’ is definitely the opposite of what it describes, as this is a massive blend of Petit Verdot and Petite Sirah that saw 26 months of large format oak treatment before bottling. Polished and layered with black tea, green bell pepper, dark chocolate shavings and boysenberry cobbler flavors, this is a beautiful wine that really improves following a one hour decant. Drink 2021-2038- 95