Sangiovese: Back to Winemaking – Back to Grapes – Back to Countries
Top thirteen grapes:
Reds – Cabernet Franc – Cabernet Sauvignon – Malbec – Merlot –
Whites – Chardonnay – Gewürztraminer – Muscat –
Pinot blanc – Pinot gris – Riesling – Sauvignon blanc
Next twenty-five grapes:
Reds – Barbera – Carignan – Gamay – Grenache – Mourvèdre – Petit Verdot –
Sangiovese – Tannat – Tempranillo – Touriga Nacional – Zweigelt
Whites – Albariño – Aligoté – Arinto – Chenin blanc – Malvasia –
Müller-Thurgau – Muscat-Ottonel – Sémillon – Tămâioasă Românească –
Traminer – Ugni-blanc – Viognier – Welschriesling
– and Cava
| Sangiovese The grape is said to date from Roman winemaking. Some suggest that it was first cultivated in Tuscany by the Etruscans from wild Vitis vinifera vines. Its name means the blood of Jove, referring of course to the Roman god Jupiter. Its name was coined by monks first bythe commune of Santarcangelo di Romagna in what is today the province of Rimini in the Emilia-Romagna region of east-central Italy. The first documentary evidence of the grape was in 1590 when Giovanvettorio Soderini (aka Ciriegiulo), identified the grape as Sangiogheto. But it was the 18th c when it would gain attention throughout Tuscany, alongside Malvasia and Trebbiano becoming the three most widely planted grapes within this region. Today it is best known as the grape used with Chianti, it is the primary variety of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and the sole variety in Brunello di Montalcino – and one of the Super Tuscans. It is the most planted variety in Italy at about 10% of total hectareage),  Image source: vdltwine.com/blogs It is easier to grow and less sensitive to its environment than Nebbiolo, the next most popular grape in Italy. This dark grape is known for high yields, slow ripening and for being difficult with which to work. In the 20th c, its over-production led to poor wine and gave the grape a bad reputation. But improved viticulture has shrugged that off, today it is used to produce some of the most desirable reds in the world, particularly as part of the Chianti Classico blend. In 2004, DNA profiling at San Michele All’Adige revealed the grape to be the product of a crossing between Ciliegiolo and Calabrese Montenuovo. The former being from Tuscany and the latter believed to be from Calabria, and later Campania. It was earlier discovered that the grape was actually several Sangiovese is easier to grow and less sensitive to its environment than Nebbiolo varieties of clones, classified as Sangiovese Grosso and Sangiovese Piccolo. |
Taste/smell: The grape has a long growing season, it buds early but is slow to ripen. It needs enough warmth to ripen fully, but too much and its flavours can become diluted. A high acidity variety which displays red fruit characters, with notes of black tea, chocolate or tobacco. Others talk of its notes of coffee, figs, leather, red cherry, red pepper, strawberry. Its wines offer a wide range of tastes from the very earthy and rustic like Chianti Classico – to round and fruit-forward wines.  Image: tenutedelcerro.it Varieties/Mutations Italy lists at least 35 clones from different regions registered in its National Catalogue. It is believed that Sangiovese is the parent of: Foglia Tonda, Frappato, Gaglioppo, Mantonicone, Morellino del Casentino, Morellino del Valdarno, Nerello Mascalese, Tuccanese di Turi, Susumaniello, and Vernaccia Nera del Valdarno. | Description: Its clusters are medium-size and long conical, in shape. Its berries are blue-black, medium and oval, some berries are seedless due to fanleaf virus infection.  Image source: iv.ucdavis.edu Its leaves are large and three-lobed. Young leaves are felty, and green with yellow bronze highlights.  Image source: Wikimedia Commons |
| Sangiovese producing countries: Big Five Producers: (overall 42% of vineyards, 64% of wine production and 41% of wine consumption – OIV 2022) Spain: not detected France: Alsace, Corsica, Languedoc, Loire, Provence, Rhône Italy: Abruzzo, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy, Marche, Montalcino, Romagna, Sicily, Tuscany, Umbria USA: Arizona, California, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, Washington Chile: small Next Ten Largest Producers: (with big five, responsible overall for 75% of vineyards, 88% of wine production, 64% of wine consumption – OIV 2022) Argentina: Catamarca, La Rioja, Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza, Neuquén, San Juan, Uco Valley Australia: Adelaide Hills, Barossa, King Valley, McLaren Vale, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia, China: not detected Germany: not detected India: not detected New Zealand: Auckland, Hawke’s Bay, Matakana Portugal: not detected Romania: Dobruja, Muntenia, Transylvania South Africa: Darling, Stellenbosch Turkey: some Others countries growing Sangiovese: Brazil, Canada, Greece, Israel, Malta, Mexico, Switzerland | Grape is also known as: Brunelletto (Grosseto Tuscany), Brunello, Brunello di Montalcino, Cacchiano (Tuscany), Calabrese (Tuscany), Cardisco, Chiantino (Tuscany), Cordisio, Corinto nero (Lipari Sicily), Dolcetto Precoce, Guarnacciola (Benevento Campania), Ingannacane, Lambrusco Mendoza (Tuscany), Maglioppa, Montepulciano, Morellino, Morellone, Negrello (Calabria), Negretta, Nerello (Sicily), Nerello Campotu (Calabria), Nerino, Niella (Corsica), Nielluccia, Nielluccio (Corsica), Pigniuolo Rosso, Pignolo, Plant Romain, Primaticcio, Prugnolo, Prugnolo Dolce (Tuscany), Prugnolo di Montepulciano, Prugnolo Gentile, Prugnolo Gentile di Montepulciano, Puttanella (Calabria), Riminese, Rosso di Montalcino, San Gioveto, San Zoveto (Tuscany), Sancivetro, Sangineto, Sangiogheto (Tuscany), Sangiovese dal Cannello Lungo, Sangiovese di Lamole, Sangiovese di Romagna, Sangiovese Dolce, Sangiovese Gentile, Sangiovese Grosso, Sangiovese Nostrano, Sangiovese Piccolo, Sangiovese Toscano, Sangioveto (Tuscany), Sangioveto dell’Elba, Sangioveto Dolce, Sangioveto Grosso, Sangioveto Montanino, Sanvincetro, Sanzoveto, Tabernello, Tignolo, Tipsa, Toustain (Algeria), Tuccanese (Apulia), Uva Abruzzi, Uva Tosca, Uvetta, Uva brunella, Uva Canina, Vigna del Conte (Calabria) and Vigna Maggio (Tuscany). |
Image source: vinepair.com
Sangiovese: Back to Winemaking – Back to Grapes – Back to Countries
Top thirteen grapes:
Reds – Cabernet Franc – Cabernet Sauvignon – Malbec – Merlot –
Whites – Chardonnay – Gewürztraminer – Muscat –
Pinot blanc – Pinot gris – Riesling – Sauvignon blanc
Next twenty-five grapes:
Reds – Barbera – Carignan – Gamay – Grenache – Mourvèdre – Petit Verdot –
Sangiovese – Tannat – Tempranillo – Touriga Nacional – Zweigelt
Whites – Albariño – Aligoté – Arinto – Chenin blanc – Malvasia –
Müller-Thurgau – Muscat-Ottonel – Sémillon – Tămâioasă Românească –
Traminer – Ugni-blanc – Viognier – Welschriesling
– and Cava
