Rootdown Wine Cellars Sangiovese 'Jane's Vineyard'

Rootdown Wine Cellars Sangiovese 'Jane's Vineyard' is a single-vineyard expression of Sangiovese from Mendocino County, sourced from a two-acre organic plot near the base of Duncan Peak in Hopland. Winemaker Mike Lucia has been working with fruit from Jane's Vineyard since 2016, a small parcel farmed by Jane, a retired vineyard hobbyist devoted to biodiversity. The vineyard sits on Talmage soils, deep and well-drained ground formed from mixed alluvium, and the fruit is hand harvested and fermented using a split approach — part whole cluster, part de-stemmed — with délestage employed to gently separate juice from solids during fermentation. Mike Lucia's Rootdown label focuses on single varietal, single vineyard wines that emphasize earth and texture over pure fruit, and his winemaking philosophy is built around low intervention, hands-off methods that yield wines with low alcohol and high acidity. The Mendocino County terroir brings a distinctive minerality and structure to the Sangiovese grape, and Lucia's approach preserves the natural character of the vineyard rather than masking it with oak or manipulation. Jane's commitment to organic farming and biodiversity translates directly into the wine's layered complexity, with the Talmage soils contributing a savory, mineral backbone that anchors the fruit. The 2016 vintage marked the beginning of Lucia's relationship with this tiny site, and the wine continues to express the vineyard's unique sense of place with each subsequent harvest. In the glass, this Sangiovese offers soft minerality alongside spicy dark fruit and candied cranberry on the nose, layered with black cherry, cedar, and red tea. The palate is supple and textured, showing plum peel, pomegranate, cool rosemary, licorice, and a distinctive hibiscus-like tannin structure that gives the wine its signature grip. There's a pleasant mid-palate weight and a sense of sweetness on the fruit, though the wine finishes completely dry. Pair it with grilled pork chops, tomato-based pasta, or aged sheep's milk cheeses — the wine's acidity and earthy tannins make it especially versatile at the table, and it rewards a slight chill in warmer months. Rootdown Wine Cellars Sangiovese 'Jane's Vineyard' is available for pickup at Off Premise Chicago, 1128 W Armitage Ave in Lincoln Park, local Chicago delivery, or nationwide shipping.