I guess most people these days shop using the internet, except me.  Maybe, because I was a merchant and I liked interacting with customers, I also like to touch the merchandise.  With wine it is a little different, but I still like the one on one with a merchant, though I have to admit that I do enjoy the surprise that I get from opening a carton from a wine club. We belong to three wine clubs, one is “A Taste of Monterey,” a Michigan winery Blackstar and a local wine shop the Fine Wine Source.  I discussed two of the wines that we received from Monterey, but the third wine, I will give a little more information about, as this is the second wine that we have received from this winery. 

Pianetta Vineyards was started in 1995, when John Pianetta bought a ninety-five-acre ranch and developed it into seventy-acre vineyard.  His family’s background was in the fresh market produce in California going back to the 1920’s.  At one time they even had a small family vineyard in Lodi. The vineyard is in the Southern part of Monterey County in a small valley called “Indian Valley.” The vineyard was basically planted with Cabernet Sauvignon and fifteen acres for Syrah. Originally, they sold their crops to other wineries and in 2002 they had their first vintage of three-hundred-seventy cases of estate wine.  It is now a family business as his daughter Caitlin has joined her father and they now produce about 2500 to 3500 cases of wine annually and only in red wines. They have started sourcing wines from other vineyards and doing single variety wines.  They also produce a “JUG” wine each year as an homage to their Italian heritage.  Another new wine for them is their “Altitude” wine which is a blend and they are planning on having an “Estate Altitude” for 2019.

The Pianetta Vineyards Sangiovese Monterey 2018 is from fruit sourced from the Lockwood Valley Vineyards in the San Antonio Valley.  2018 was considered a great year following 2017 with a heavier yield and big flavor.  A mild summer without undue heat aided in making the wine bold and complex.  The wine was aged for twenty months in what I will presume was oak barrels, which would be the classic treatment for this famed Italian variety.  According to the notes, the wine is offering bright cherry on the nose, with notes of roasted nuts and red fruit for taste, with strong acidity on the finish which means that it should be laid down for at least six years to mellow the wine out. I can wait it out.