Sangiovese (Italy)
Sangiovese is the main grape in many Italian wines.
It mainly grows in Toscana, Umbria, and Emilia Romagna.
Primary Flavors
 Red Cherry |
 Strawberry |
 Raspberry |
 Cranberry |
 Herbs |
 Violets |
 Spices |
 Tea Leaves |
The primary flavors of Sangiovese is Sour Cherries and Wild Berries.
Hints of Herbs, Flowers (Violets), Spices, Tea, and Minerals.
Oak Added Flavors
 Vanilla |
 Coffee |
 Cinnamon |
 Tobacco |
Oak aged Sangiovese tends to accumulate flavors of Vanilla, Coffe, Spices, and Tobacco.
Profile
| BODY | Medium | ||
| TANNINS | Medium | ||
| FRUIT | Medium | ||
| ACIDITY | Medium Plus | ||
| |||
Food Pairing
 Pasta |
 Risotto |
 Ham |
 Salumi |
 Pizza |
 Hamburger |
 Chicken |
 Turkey |
 Sausages |
 Rabbit |
 Pork |
 Wild Boar |
 Lamb |
 Veal |
 Game |
 Beef |
Sangiovese pairs well with both Italian and International food.
It loves Rich Pasta Dishes, Tomato Sauces, Stews and Mushroom Sauces.
Pairing Suggestions
Excellent Pairing:
Grilled Vegetables.
Cured Meat. Prosciutto. Salami.
Tomato Sauce. Meat Sauce.
Truffle Sauce. Mushroom Sauce.
Rich Pasta. Rich Risotto. Pasta Cabonara.
Pasta Arrabbiata. Pasta with Truffles.
Rich Pizza. Pizza Picante. Lasagna.
Poultry. Rich Chicken. Turkey. Rabbit.
Hamburger. Sausages. Veal.
Stew. Wild Boar Stew. Ox Tail Stew.
Pork (Herb Grilled).
Lamb. Lamb Chops with Rosemary).
Red Meat. Braises. Roast Beef. Game.
Cheese:
Mature Cheese.
Pecorino. Parmigiano. Asiago. Provolone.
Tuscan Specialities:
Ribollita (Hearthy Soup).
Bistecca Fiorentina (Florentine Steak).
Risotto (with Meat or Mushroom Sauce).
Polenta with Black Truffle.
Grilled Portobello Mushrooms.
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The Ideal Glass
The Bordeaux glass is perfect for a bodied red wine.
It is taller than other red wine glasses, and has a slimmer bowl.
The large size of the glass allows the bouquet to develop. It smooths out rough edges, plays down tannins, and allows the wines to achieve balance.
The slimmer bowl sends the wine directly to the back of the mouth for maximum taste.
World Famous Grapes
Sangiovese
Sangiovese is the king of Italian red grapes.
Sangiovese Regions
The Sangiovese wines from Toscana (Tuscany) are world famous.
Montalcino, Toscana | |
| Rosso di Montalcino DOC | 100% Sangiovese |
| Brunello di Montalcino DOCG | 100% Sangiovese |
Montepulciano, Toscana | |
| Rosso di Montepulciano DOC | Min 70% Sangiovese |
| Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG | Min 70% Sangiovese |
Chianti, Toscana | |
| Chianti DOCG | Min 70% Sangiovese |
| Chianti Classico DOCG | Min 80% Sangiovese |
Other Toscana Regions | |
| Montecucco Sangiovese DOCG | 90-100% Sangiovese |
| Suvereto Sangiovese DOCG | 85-100% Sangiovese |
| Morellino di Scansano DOCG | 85-100% Sangiovese |
| Carmignano DOCG | Min 50% Sangiovese |
Umbria | |
| Montefalco DOC | 60-80% Sangiovese |
| Torgiano Riserva DOCG | Min 70% Sangiovese |
About Sangiovese
Sangiovese's homeland is Tuscany. But it is also big in Emilia-Romagna, Umbria, Marche, Lazio, Campania, and Sicily. It is the most cultivated red grape in Italy.
The name (Sanguis Jovis) is Latin for "Blood of Jupiter".
Sangiovese is thin-skinned and the color of the wine is light red.
Sangiovese wine has high acidity, high tannins, medium body and medium alcohol.
Sangiovese Clones
Based on the work of G. Molon in 1906, Sangioves has been divided in two families: the Sangiovese Grosso (big), used for making Brunello di Montalcino, and Chianti wines, and the Sangiovese Piccolo (small), used in the other zones of Tuscany.
But this classification is too simple. There are nearly 100 approved clones of Sangiovese in Italy and the are no indication that the quality can be based on the size of the grapes.
Terroir
Sangiovese loves the Galestro terroir found in most of Tuscany’s best vineyards.
Galestro was created in a deep sea which is now the Mediterranean. It is a formation of stone, mudstone, sand, and clay (not compact clay), that breaks into little pieces helping open the soil.