SANGIOVESE
Until recently Sangiovese, Italy's most widely planted vine variety, was a grape in the wilderness. And whenever the name Sangiovese did appear on a label it was far from a guarantee of greatness.
And now it's the most widely planted grape in Italy. It's Sangiovese, the grape of Chianti, of Brunello, of Montepulciano, and of Scansano. It's the Tuscan part of super Tuscans too.
The name of the Sangiovese red grape is thought to be derived from "sanguis Jovis" meaning "the blood of Jove (Jupiter)."
The Sangiovese is one of the most ancient Italian grape varieties, and is certainly one of the most widely grown as well as the grape which quality-wise offers the best wines in Italy. All ampelographers agree that the grape originated in Tuscany.
The name of the Sangiovese red grape is thought to be derived from "sanguis Jovis" meaning "the blood of Jove (Jupiter)."
The Sangiovese is one of the most ancient Italian grape varieties, and is certainly one of the most widely grown as well as the grape which quality-wise offers the best wines in Italy. All ampelographers agree that the grape originated in Tuscany.
Vine growers are becoming increasingly curious and Sangiovese is now being planted from Chile to Argentina, but the place with the greatest recent interest in Sangiovese outside Italy is California.
Grape Variety
Sangiovese
Use in Old World
Tuscany, Italy
Use in New World
Rare, but increasing in CA.
Color
From very light to very dark.
Aroma
Dark red fruits.
Body
From very light to very heavy.
Wine Making Flavors
Often heavily oaked and slightly oxidized.
Blended with
In Chianti it is blended with red and white wines. In the 'Super-Tuscans' it is blended with Cabernet Sauvignon.
Other
There are huge differences in the various clones of this grape. There is the Grosso clone which is the more common, and the Piccolo clone which is smaller in size and plantings. The Brunello grape is a Sangiovese Grosso clone and yet still shows as the finest example of Sangiovese.
Categories:
Red Wine Grapes