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Tasting Notes

This intensely flavored wine offers aromas of sandalwood and incense mingling with pomegranate juice, juniper berries, and fresh raspberries. On the palate, it is full and dense, showcasing good purity of fruit with juicy plum notes at its core. Notes of roasted almond, dried citrus, and blackberry add complexity, while its food-friendly acidity creates perfect tension in the tannins, complemented by some layered earthiness.

Vintage Notes

The 2024 growing season started off quite wet and cold, giving the vines an extended dormant period. Bud break occurred as spring began, followed closely by a brief bloom period. Early summer brought a mix of warm and hot days, but nights remained cool, allowing the vines time to recoup. Vintage 2024 was a tale of two harvests: our Sauvignon Blanc was harvested on August 31st—two and a half weeks earlier than in 2023—marking the start of an early pick season that also included Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Zinfandel through early September. The Bordeaux varieties followed, mostly harvested in mid-September, with our final truck of Cabernet Sauvignon arriving on October 11th.

Vineyard Notes

Fruit for this Super Tuscan-style wine is sourced from an exquisite dry-farmed vineyard on the western edge of the Sonoma Valley floor. The rich soil and excellent drainage produce small yields of intense, highly concentrated fruit. The name Caro Santo or Dear Saint honors our namesake, St. Francis of Assisi.

Winemaker Notes

In the spirit of our Italian heritage, this super Tuscan-inspired blend was made to reflect its traditional characteristics. For the base of this wine, Sangiovese grapes were picked in early September and put into a combination of open-top & closed-top fermentation tanks to produce better aromas and textures. Each tank underwent a 3-day cold soak before yeast inoculation and then followed a warm fermentation for 10-14 days. After elevage, the wine was later blended with 9% Sonoma Valley Merlot from one of our Estate Behler ranch to produce a true super Tuscan-style wine.