Sanger Family Wine Blog

Guide to Crafting Your Sanger Wine Collection

* Discover your favorites. Taste different varietals, and find what you love.

* Stock the essentials. Keep a mix of everyday sips, aged treasures, and celebration wines.

* Pair like a sommelier. Match wines with seasonal meals or special occasions.

* Store with care. Keep bottles cool, dark, and steady for best aging. Bonus points for storing in a temperature controlled wine fridge!

* Share the experience. Host tastings, try new pairings, and enjoy the journey!

Return of Zinfandel

For those of you who have been long time Consilience wine club members, or purchasers of Consilience wines over the years, then you know of our Rhodes Vineyard Zinfandel from the Redwood Valley of Mendocino County. We produced this wine for 10 years between the 1998 and 2007 harvest years. However, due to a change in contractual obligations, the owners of the vineyard had to stop selling the grapes to us after the 2007 harvest.

Eventually those contracts expired and the Rhodes Family reached out to us prior to the harvest of 2021 and asked if we would be interested in purchasing their Zinfandel grapes again. We jumped at the opportunity and have produced this wine for the first time in 14 years. It is a big, jammy, and flavor packed version of Zinfandel that should be reminiscent of the fabulous Rhodes Vineyard Zinfandels we made in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. We hope you enjoy this new Zinfandel release, and the tasting trip down memory lane, as much as we have.

Brett Escalera, Winemaker

A Note of Gratitude from The Sangers 🍷

As we enter our 15th year at the Sanger Family of Wines, we want to take a moment to pause and express our heartfelt gratitude to you - our loyal wine club members. Your support and enthusiasm over the years have been the foundation of our journey, and we are truly honored to share our wines with you. From the very beginning, our vision has been to craft exceptional wines that bring people together, and it is because of you that we have been able to pursue this passion.

Over the past decade, your support has fueled our growth, allowing us to refine our winemaking techniques, and introduce exciting new wines, olive oils, and products. Each vintage reflects the dedication and care we pour from every bottle of wine and every drizzle of oil. It brings great joy to know that our wines and olive oils have been part of your celebrations, gatherings, and everyday moments.

Looking ahead, we remain steadfast to our commitment of crafting wines and oils that inspire and delight, while staying true to the values and traditions that define the Sanger Family of Wines and Olive Oil Company. We have exciting new releases on the horizon and special experiences planned just for you, our valued members. As we embark on this milestone year, we cant wait to continue to share our passion with you.

Thank you for being an integral part of our story. Here is to 15 years of great wines, wonderful memories, and the incredible community we’ve built together.

With gratitude,

Bill and Jan Sanger,

Proprietors, Sanger Family of Wines.

How to Taste Wine Like a Pro: Swirl, Sniff, and Sip

 

How to Taste Wine Like a Pro: Swirl, Sniff, and Sip

Wine tasting can be magical; there’s something that elevates the experience beyond mere sipping. The magic has to do with your exploration of the wine’s sensory experience and exposure to the story inside each bottle. You probably won’t become a pro taster now, but we’ll give you some pointers to enjoy the experience more thoughtfully. Here’s a simple guide to tasting for the next time you uncork your bottle of Sanger wine.

Swirl – Bring Your Wine to Life

Let’s begin with the swirl. Hold your glass by the stem and give it a little twirl. Lift the wine to your nose and inhale. We’re not just moving the wine inside the glass at this point; we’re waking it up. By swirling your wine, you’re allowing it to mingle with oxygen, releasing flavors and aromas that would otherwise remain in slumber. This is especially true of reds such as our Double Gold Cabernet. With every swirl, you’re revealing another layer of depth and complexity and opening up this delicious wine so that its character can breathe a little.

Sniff – Uncover the Layers

Sniff the wine deeply from your glass, breathe in, and let the aromas unfold. Close your eyes if you need to, and see what associations arise – do you detect blackberry, cedar, spice, or something else? There’s always a story to be conjured from a wine at this pre-cognitive step. This ‘in-breath of waiting’ is not only about smell identification. It is also an anticipatory moment when the narrator – the wine – will reveal itself to the reader – you – before it ever even touches your tongue.

Sip – Discover the Flavors

Finally, drink, but don’t swallow immediately. Let it journey over your palate, noting as it crests how fruits give way to a slow wash of smooth tannins. Is it a bold, full-bodied Cabernet bursting with flavor or a crisp, sun-kissed Sauvignon Blanc with lively acidity? Either way, you will learn something new with each sip – or at least if it’s a red or a white – but with each mouthful. 

Start your tasting adventure now at our tasting room in Solvang, California, in the heart of Central Valley Wine Country. Or, Swirl, Sniff, and Sip from the comfort of your home by choosing your favorite wines at the Sanger Wines Online Store. 

Cheers to the journey,

The Sanger Family of Wines