Sangiovese

Sangiovese

This is the most cultivated red wine variety of the Bel Paese and the main grape of central Italy. It owes its name to the ancient Roman father of the gods, Jupiter, ruler of the sky, lightning, rain and thunder. Jupiter's blood is called the red grape juice, Sanguis Iovis.

As old as the Romans, or rather, even older is the variety Sangiovese, which was already known by the Etruscans. In fact, the classic area of cultivation coincides with the settlement area of the pre-Roman tribes, first and foremost the region of Tuscany. Here, Sangiovese wines form the basis for such euphonious wine celebrities as Chianti, Brunello, Morellino or Carmignano. The grape comes in both large and small berry varieties, and Jupiter's offspring exists in numerous clonal variants; the color atlas of grape varieties lists 83 synonyms.

Among them such illustrious names as Brunello, Prugnolo Gentile or Montepulciano. Characteristic of a Sangiovese wine are a pronounced berry aroma and a present acidity. It is full-bodied and tannic, in warm regions also with a high alcohol content. In cool regions it shows with hard tannins and high acidity. Sangiovese loves sunny warmth and thanks it with a nice longevity of the wines. For ripening it takes time and a while, it is snatched from the sun only in late autumn. Since time immemorial, the harvest began no earlier than September 29, often not until October. Concentrated sun power in the glass is thus guaranteed. The range of Sangiovese wines is immense, ranging from simple country wines to aristocratic world-class wines.