Santa Barbara Winery, Santa Ynez Valley (Santa Barbara County, California) Sangiovese 2015

 I see this vineyard designation on a fair amount of Italian varietal wines from the Santa Barbara, and for good reason.  Sangiovese finds a great home there, and in this bottle bright cherry and candied raspberry fruit carry balanced spice and herb notes through a long finish whose grip gives great push to the flavors.  I’d look for medium strength cheeses to showcase this one.  A Platinum Award winner at the 2019 Monterey International Wine Competition.