There is something distinctly Italian about sangiovese. Maybe not so surprising as it is the most planted grape variety in Italy. Widely present in Tuscany, where we find it in Chianti, Chianti Classico and Brunello di Montalcino, it is also grown in various other Italian regions. It combines freshness, tannins and a light body which (often) makes it easily recognizable. It’s a grape for the dinner table.

Sangiovese was mentioned in writing in the 16th century in Tuscany and Romagna. In the 19th century, it spread over the central and southern parts of Italy. Its origins are probably in Tuscany, but it may have some ancestors further south, perhaps in Calabria.