For the few Washington State vintners who are making wine from Italian varietals, passion is the reason they give for taking on the challenges that come with making super-Tuscan wines. As part of a grower-winemaker panel exploring Italian varietals at a recent statewide wine convention, four winemakers shared the ups and downs of producing Italian wines. “There are not a lot of winemakers clambering to make Sangiovese,” said Chris Figgins of Walla Walla’s Leonetti Cellars. “But the ones who do are passionate about it.” He admits that the variety is challenging to vinify and challenging to grow. “One of the […]