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00:00 – INTRO

00:42 – WHAT DOES THE DOMAINE DES DIEUX SANGIOVESE 2016 SMELL AND TASTE LIKE

02:10 – HOW DID SANGIOVESE COME TO BE IN AFRICA?

04:32 – THE SHIFTING TASTE OF SANGIOVESE

05:25 – NEW CLONES AND NEW STYLES OF SANGIOVESE

06:13 – WHAT IS EPIGENETIC EXPRESSION?

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Domaine de Dieux is a small producer located in the Hemel-en-Aarde region of the Cape Winelands, owned by business partners Sharon Parnell and Peter Clarke. They bought the farm in 2002, with the goal of becoming the first MCC producer in the Hemel-en-Aarde valley, which they achieved in 2010, when they released the maiden bottling of the Claudia Brut MCC, which spent a total of 3.5 years on lees. This lengthy cellar maturation has become a hallmark of their wine production, which in some part explains why the 2016 vintage of their estate Sangiovese is only released in 2022.

Unlike Hemel-en-Aarde neighbours, La Vierge (who produce a supremely light and focused Pinot-like Sangio), Domaine des Dieux have adopted a far more serious “Riserva”-style expression, which even 6 years after release boasts impressive structure, and a fruit expression that is still quite tight, seemingly prepared to wait a good few years before unfurling.

For those who have yet to sign up for your HanDrinksSolo Wine Subscription, you’ll have to settle for using your imagination while reading my tasting notes.

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👃🏼 The nose is moody as all heck, with aromas of spicy cedar wood, hints of game meat, dried sage, a sort of pot pourri, but also red currants and some baked cherry pie crust

👄 med bodied, firm tannins, lovely red fruit, sour cherry, red plum, pomegranate, and hints of sweeter strawberry preserve. Grippy red cherry skin tannins on the moderate finish.

Tail could be longer, but nose is delightful, and fruit is quite vivid.

💰 R210.00