Sangiovese
The sangiovese wine grape is Tuscan in origin but in this century it is has also become a favorite grape of California wine growers. It is used in wine blends, Zinfadels and chiantis.
The name “sangiovese” means “blood of Jove” and the first reference to it was way back in 1722. It is thought to be the creation of ancient Etruscan winemakers indigenous to Tuscany.
The most famous type of wine made in Tuscany and motley from this type of grape is Chianti. Sangiovese is the number one grape crop in Italy and it makes up over ten percent of the entire grape crop.
Chianti was invented by Baron Ricasoli in the 1890s. The base is 70% sagniovese and thirty percent other grapes. Every year the law changes with regards to how much of the Sangiovese grapes should be in a wine before it qualifies asa true Chianti.
There are also laws in Tuscany that specify how long it must be aged and other matters to do with how chiantis made from Sangiovese must be created and marketed. For instance there can’t be any more than five percent white grapes in the blend.
This flavorful grape ripens late in the season and one of the dangers of planting it is that the fruit can rot on the vine early on in the season. It does not like humidity.
It only does well in places where there is an elevation of fifteen hundred feet. It also grows best in limestone soils and in places where there is a dry climate.
The best way to describe the flavor of this type of grape is as fruity and sugary. It is a naturally acidic grape and it creates tart full bodied wines that get their sophistication from a tinge of bitterness.
Strawberry, floral, or plummy aromas are common with wines and Dolcetto made from this wine. Sometimes an orange peel scent can be detected. There is also usually a back hint of cinnamon or violets in this wine. When aged it take on a strong oak flavor.
True Sangiovese chianti is usually sold in a straw covered basket called a fiasci. However recently more and more vineyards are dispensing with this charming touch and focusing on creating beverages called Super Tuscan wines.
These are blends of Sangiovese grapes with red and white wines. A good example is a wine called Tignanello. New aging, fermentation, and blending techniques are being discovered for these wines every day.
It is also being manufactured in other countries. In Australia the wine is used to create a sweet black wine called Dolce Nero. In the United States it is mainly grown in the Monticello region of Virginia.
In other places in the world wine made from Sangiovese grapes is also known as Brunello, Cordisio, Montepulciano, Morellino, Plant Romain, Primaticcio, Prugnolo, Prugnolo Di Riminese, Sangiovese Nostrano, Sangiovese Toscano, Sangioveto Dell’Elba, Sangioveto Dolce Morellone, Negretta, Nerino, Niella, Nielluccia, Nielluccio, Pigniuolo Rosso, Pignolo, Plant Romain, Primaticcio, Prugnolo, Riminese, San Zoveto, Sancivetro, Sangineto, Sangiovese Dal Cannello Lungo, Sangiovese Di Lamole, Tignolo, Tipsa, Toustain, Uva Abruzzi, Uva Tosca, Uvetta, and Gioveto.
Tags: sangiovese | dolcetto | dolcetto