Foxen 7200 Volpino (Santa Ynez Valley) 2012

For dinner tonight I made Michael Chiarello's Italian Meatloaf and roasted Italian cauliflower. Both were very easy and delicious recipes. With it we had the 2012 Foxen Volpino,which is a blend of 78% Sangiovese and 22% Merlot. Despite its youth, the Volpino had a developed bouquet of black cherry, blackberry, and plum. On the palate, I tasted the same fruit flavor associations plus some spice, earth, and leather. Bright acidity and a firm tannic backbone suggest that it has some aging potential, but it is hard to resist now. This is one of the better Cal-Ital wines. Grade: 90