Our Focus: Sangiovese
OUR CHIANTI CLASSICOS ARE FOCUSED ON THE SANGIOVESE EXPRESSION!
Lets discover together more about this fascinating variety 
Where did the name Sangiovese come from? According to an ancient myth, the name Sangiovese comes from Sanctus Giove, the god of the Romans. Another legend has it that the name comes from Sanguis Jovis, the blood of Jupiter, a name given by Capuchin monks from a convent on Mount Jupiter in Santarcangelo di Romagna.
Others claim, however, that the name Sangiovese comes from "sangiovannese," meaning it originated in San Giovanni Valdarno, Tuscany. Your choice.
What is certain is that the Sangiovese grape variety was already widespread in Etruscan times, and equally certain is that it was cultivated in the south: in fact, a DNA analysis found that it originated from a spontaneous cross between Ciliegiolo and Calabrese di Montenuovo.
Today it is the most widely grown red grape variety in Italy, particularly in Tuscany, Romagna and Umbria. In the last decade, aided by the international success that Supertuscans have had, Sangiovese has also gained a foothold in overseas wine-growing areas such as in the province of Mendoza in Argentina or Napa Valley in California.
PRODUCTION AREAS IN ITALY
Chianti Hills.
Where is the Sangiovese grape variety grown in Italy? The elective home of Sangiovese is undoubtedly central Italy.
Sangiovese has found its best place to express itself in Tuscany, where it is either vinified on its own or made into wine together with other local or international grapes. In the Tuscan hills from Sangiovese are produced oenological excellences such as Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, Nobile di Montepulciano or Morellino di Scansano, but also the famous Supertuscan and excellent IGT wines.
Umbria is also a region where Sangiovese reaches qualitative heights with Rosso di Montefalco, Torgiano, Rosso dei Colli Amerini, Colli del Trasimeno and Colli Martani.
Important Sangiovese wine production is also found in the lands of Romagna, particularly under the appellations Sangiovese di Romagna Superiore and Colli di Faenza.
ORGANOLEPTIC CHARACTERISTICS OF SANGIOVESE WINE
Sangiovese has a ruby red color of medium intensity and becomes garnet with aging
What are the characteristics of Sangiovese wine? Let's find out together what are the organoleptic characteristics of Sangiovese red wine, from color to aromas and taste.
COLOR OF SANGIOVESE WINE: Sangiovese wine has a ruby color characterized by a slight transparency that tends to garnet with aging. Depending on the soil, the climate where it is grown or whether it is aged in wood, the color of Sangiovese may be more or less intense.
AROMAS OF SANGIOVESE: On the nose, Sangiovese wine has clearly recognizable characteristics: floral notes of violet and iris that mingle with juicy red fruit (cherry, black cherry, raspberry), but also blood red orange, due to the recognizable pawing acidity, up to bloody, spicy hints of black pepper, or suggestions of undergrowth, reminiscent of humus, fern, moss and thyme. If aged in wood, more or less pronounced tertiary notes of vanilla, coffee, tobacco, chocolate or leather will be added, depending on the wood used.
SANGIOVESE TASTE:On the palate, Sangiovese wine is enveloping, warm and full-bodied, with marked acidity and an important tannic structure, which can sometimes be astringent if unripe. It has a rich, mouthwatering drink and a long, intense persistence.
The discreet acidity and good tannic structure make Sangiovese a wine with extraordinary aging power, particularly suitable for aging in large barrels (the use of barriques, especially first-passage, instead flattens its peculiarities).
Sometimes the varietal impetuosity of tannin and acidity can lead to taste imbalances, which is why blending Sangiovese wine with other varieties that can soften its character is often resorted to. Sangiovese can be blended with Merlot, Cabernet and Syrah or with native varieties such as Canaiolo, Colorino and Pugnitello.
FOOD PAIRINGS WITH SANGIOVESE
What foods to pair with Sangiovese wine? Sangiovese, especially in the Riserva version, is a perfect wine to pair with important meat dishes, given its marked acidity and good tannic structure.
Interesting pairings include Sangiovese wine and Pappardelle with wild boar ragout or other meat sauces, stuffed pasta, steak and grilled red meats, game (including feathered), as well as cured meats and well-aged cheeses.
The fresher and more immediate versions of Sangiovese wine, on the other hand, can accompany fish dishes, such as sardines or mackerel, or the typical piadina from Romagna. The Sangiovese pairing with fish soups, as in the case of Caciucco, is also sensational. Certainly Sangiovese is one of the most versatile red wines in food pairings, depending on the cooler or more structured versions it can adapt to many different types of food pairings.
AMPELOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SANGIOVESE GRAPE VARIETY
LEAF CHARACTERISTICS: Sangiovese has a medium-sized leaf, pentagonal, pentalobate or sometimes trilobate, with a fairly open petiolar sinus. Its lobes are marked, the upper page is almost totally glabrous, more or less bright green in color. The veins are light green, and the toothing is pronounced and irregular. The petiole is of medium length, green in color with possible pink tinge.
GRAPULATION CHARACTERISTICS: The Sangiovese cluster is quite large, cylindrical-pyramidal in shape, compact and with generally one wing. The peduncle is large and visible, semi-woody.
BACIN CHARACTERISTICS: Sangiovese grapes are medium-sized, ovoid and uniform. The skin is very pruinose and black-purple in color. The pulp is fleshy and the juice may be lightly colored pink. The Sangiovese berry has an average of two to four seeds, which are quite large.
AGRONOMIC FACTS ABOUT THE SANGIOVESE GRAPE VARIETY.
The term Sangiovese actually refers to many different clones that have differentiated over the centuries in different territories. The most common Sangiovese clones are Sangiovese Grosso, known as Brunello in Montalcino and Prugnolo Gentile in Montepulciano and Sangiovese Piccolo.
Sangiovese is thus a versatile grape variety with good adaptability. It is a late-ripening, vigorous vine with a constant yield and a tendency to very abundant productions: it will be up to the winemaker to mitigate this productive impetuosity so as not to compromise the quality of the wine.
Sangiovese has no particular soil requirements but gives its best results in clay-limestone and skeleton-rich soils; it prefers dry and hot climates and tends to suffer cold and humid ones, due to the ease of going rotten given the discrete compactness of its clusters and the thin skin of the berries.