Sanguis The Modern Proprietary Red California Central Coast 2016

Latin for blood, Sanguis is German-born Matthias Pippig’s brainchild. After previously working as a wine importer, Matthias, with his wife Jamie, eventually decided to start their own project. They make their wines in a converted warehouse in the heart of Santa Barbara’s industrial zone and source grapes grown in the tranquil Santa Ynez Valley, with terroirs known to house great beauty and add richness and character to the wines of Sanguis. The many microclimates of the Santa Ynez Valley hillsides and canyons are a product of this valley’s unique east-west orientation, which allows for a direct and constant influence of the Pacific; once the sun has risen, warm air continually ascends and creates a vacuum that draws cold ocean air inland. The range of climates enables many varieties of grapes to ripen in ideal conditions, and the air’s saline quality leaves its imprint on the grapes, producing wines with a singular character. We first debuted Sanguis Wines in our Kahuna Club in 2019 with a powerful Cabernet Franc-based blend called The Highlands and we couldn’t be more excited to include another fantastic and unique wine from this ground-breaking producer. Blending classic red Rhone varietals with Petit Verdot and a bit of Viognier, a white wine grape, Matthias has again put quality above tradition and achieved great success in crafting a truly intriguing wine.

Sanguis’ passion for making delicious wine is only overshadowed by their mission to work hard and establish an order that pulls the best parts from the chaos that is nature. Every wine starts as an idea with a predetermined end goal in mind and then things are left to run their course without giving in to the seduction of routine and instead continuing to push the limits by exploring new directions. Matthias changes his Rhône and Bordeaux style blends yearly, hand sorts each wine, and never makes the same wine twice. Sanguis’ wines display extraordinary character, showing complexity, individuality, and balance that are a direct expression of the people and place from which they are grown and made.

The Modern is a Red Blend comprised of mostly Syrah from the John Sebastiano Vineyard in Santa Rita Hills, with a little co-fermented Viognier and a small dose of Petit Verdot from just outside of Happy Canyon. The wine is fermented with native yeasts, a high percentage of whole cluster is included in the ferment, and the wine is then aged in large seasoned French oak barrels with extended lees contact for 26 months before being bottled unfined and unfiltered. Just 175 cases were made by the caring hands of Matthias and Jamie in their humble bodega on the east side of Santa Barbara proper. Fruitful aromas interlaced with a delicate floral bouquet are followed by juicy red and black fruits. A silky mouthfeel is the centerpiece of this food-friendly wine all balanced with refreshing acidity. The wine will pair with anything from mushroom risotto to a fresh-ground lamb burger and best enjoyed while listening to David Bowie (an actual recommendation from the winemaker who is known to create a playlist for each of his wines). Truly expressive, charismatic, fascinating to the core, and SO drinkable!