Sangiovese is the most widely planted grape variety in Italy, known for its adaptability and quality potential. It is an early-budding, late-ripening vine that is vigorous and high-yielding, often requiring green harvesting to control crop load for better quality. It performs best on south to southeast-facing slopes at cooler higher elevations ( 200 + meters) which help extend the ripening period. It thrives in the classic Galestro found in Tuscany arguably the home of this grape variety.

It forms the backbone of Chianti, where it must make up at least 70% of the blend, and Chianti Classico, where the minimum is 80%. Vino Nobile di Montepulciano also relies heavily on Sangiovese but in Brunello di Montalcino the wines are 100% Sangiovese producing powerful, long-lived wines.

This contrast between 100% Sangiovese wines and blends was brought home to me recently when advising on the selection of northern Italian wines for a wedding. I was struck by how sensitive Sangiovese wines are to the addition of even quite small amounts of other varieties. Canaiolo and Colorino are the classic varieties added for florality and deeper colour in Chianti Classico. These obviously change the aromatics a bit and the colour.  However when international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are added that delicate sour cherry and chalky character of Sangiovese seems to disappear.

Given the quantity of the grape grown in Italy it is perhaps not a surprise, it can’t all be grown on these ideal sites and so blending is obviously a useful way of filling in gaps and completing a wine at a certain price point. And there really are some great reasonably priced wines from Tuscany.