Sanguis Uncloudy Day 2009
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James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Enthusiast
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Excellent white with lots of apple pie, honey, and light cream character and lemons underneath. Full and tangy with beautiful acidity. Made from 74% Chardonnay, 18% Roussanne and 8% Viognier.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2009 White Wine Uncloudy Day is 74% Chardonnay, 18% Roussanne and 8% Viognier that was aged for 15 months in 65% neutral oak barrels and 35% stainless steel. It bursts from the glass with an exciting array of mango, passion fruit and honey in an opulent, yet harmonious, plush style. A nuanced, finish rounds things out nicely. This is another striking, rich wine from Matthias Pippig.
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Wine Enthusiast
Rich, ripe and flamboyant in tropical fruit, pear, peach, Meyer lemon, orange jam and vanilla spice flavors. Layered, opulent, lush and honeyed, but actually quite dry on the finish, with a burst of acidity. The blend is Chardonnay, Roussanne and Viognier.
Sanguis wines are made in a converted warehouse in the heart of Santa Barbara's industrial zone (yes, there is one), from the grapes that they grow in the idyl that is called the Santa Ynez and Santa Maria Valleys - this juxtaposition is representative of the style of wine that is Sanguis.
With hundreds of white grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended white wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used in white wine blends, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a variety that creates a soft and full-bodied white wine blend, like Chardonnay, would do well combined with one that is more fragrant and naturally high in acidity. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
Ranging from cool and foggy in the west to warm and dry in the east, the Santa Ynez Valley is a climatically diverse growing area. The most expansive AVA within the larger Santa Barbara County region, Santa Ynez is also home to a wide variety of soil types and geographical features. The appellation is further divided into four distinct sub-AVAs—Sta. Rita Hills, Ballard Canyon, Los Olivos District and Happy Canyon—each with its own defining characteristics.
A wide selection of grapes is planted here—more than sixty different varieties, and counting. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir dominate in the chilly west, while Zinfandel, Rhône blends, and Bordeaux blends rule the arid east. Syrah is successful at both ends of the valley, with a lean and peppery, Old-World sensibility closer to the coast and lush berry fruit further inland.