Origin: High Plains, Texas
ABV: 12.1%
USNW Classification: Minimal Intervention
Varietal & Type: 100% whole cluster Sangiovese
Vintage: 2021

One of our favorite wines to come out of Texas this year. High Plains Sangiovese has been really delicious the past few vintages and Randy Hester got the most out of it with this Beaujolais style, 100% carbonic macerated wine. This wine is made out of respect for the old world and the traditional methods of winemaking. 

Winemaker Notes: Fresh and lively, deep and complex, just as you would expect a young, full carbonic wine to be. As for the Sangiovese varietal, typicity can be simply defined by the symbiosis between bitter and sweet. We intentionally pick this fruit at a lower ripeness level to best capture the bright, fresh strawberry personality of Sangiovese from this vineyard site, and to embrace the tea-like tannic structure necessary for elegant aging. The 100% whole cluster fermentation elevates the floral and fall spice characters, particularly the savory tomato and herbs quality of more traditional Sangiovese. I could not be happier with this wine and I eagerly await the aging process, as I expect this one to show well for years of evolution to come. One of my somm friends thinks that I “have perfectly captured the essence of Sangiovese.” I’ll take that!

About the Winemaker

Randy Hester, owner and winemaker of C.L. Butaud, produces high-quality wines that proudly utilize 100-percent Texas grown grapes. Hester highlights the state’s unique terroir as well as expert, low-intervention style winemaking, earning acclaim across the state and nationally. The Houston-native moved to Napa Valley to train under world class winemakers such as Andy Erickson, Michel Rolland and Helen Keplinger, as well as various distinguished producers including Colgin, Caldwell, Realm, and Marciano. C.L. Butaud wines have been featured as a top Texas wine in Texas Monthly,  Austin Monthly, Austin American-Statesman, Forbes and the 2017 Tempranillo received a 91-point score by Decanter. The brand opened its shared tasting room in Southwest Austin in December 2020 and offers an elevated, educational tasting experience. 

Randy Hester of C.L. Butaud prefers to say that he makes “sustainably produced” wine.

“I want to know what’s pure,” he said. “I want a beautiful steak without a bunch of crap on it. If I make a bad steak, I can hide it with butter and seasoning. But the real skill is to find that raw material and treat it with finesse. That’s the best interpretation. That’s the kind of wine I drink, and the kind of wine I strive to make.”

-Arianna Auber, Austin360 by Austin American-Statesman

Shipping Details

 **DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS, WE HAVE AN UPGRADED, INSULATED SHIPPING MATERIAL TO PREVENT DAMAGING THE WINE IN TRANSIT. THIS INCREASES SHIPPING TO $30/ BOX TEMPORARILY UNTIL THE WEATHER COOLS DOWN. **

US Natural Wine ships once a week, every Wednesday. All orders should be placed by Tuesday at 10am in order to be picked up from our distributors and out on Wednesday's delivery truck.

Shipping cost is 18 bucks a box (up to 12 bottles) so we highly encourage picking up more than 1 bottle for the best value!

At $18, we have some of the most competitive shipping rates compared to other low-intervention wine e-commerce, which can range from $20-$25 a box. Ultimately, we eat the cost of shipping more often than not because wine can be damn heavy. As a small business, we are simply unable to offer free shipping. We can't thank you enough for your understanding!