Sangiovese

Call me jealous.

If I could come back to this world as another man, I’d be some young, handsome, fashionably dressed Italian vintner.

I’d drive up to my castello in a Maserati, hop out, say ciao five times to the same person, and then spend my days talking to wine lovers about my passion.

Sangio vese

It’s the way they say it. The accent. The melody. Making it into two words. It’s just so captivating.

Sangio is pronounced with a slight wince, and vese with a sigh of relief.

“Sangio vese,” I’d say, pausing for dramatic effect, “it’s a little bit like….the Pinot Noir. But actually, it is totally different. Nothing alike. Like the day, and the night.”

I’d get away with such confusing explanations because my name would be Leonardo. My liquid art would come from the Tuscan hills at one of the greatest wineries on earth, Castello di Ama, the castle of love. A Picasso of Sangiovese.

One can always dream.

What does it taste like

In many respects, it does share some similarities to Pinot Noir, just as a point of easy comparison. Sangiovese can be pale in color sometimes. Red fruits can dominate – especially cherry – and there is usually a light kiss of oak, medium body, and bright acid. The wines can be elegant and delicate.

The grape is sensitive to the elements, much like Leonardo. It doesn’t like extreme heat, nor frigid temperatures; it can be picky about soil types and altitude; and it enjoys a slight breeze. It’s arguably a bit of a hypochondriac, bothered by the slightest thing.

Yes, yes, the tannins don’t fit the typical Pinot profile. Agreed, they are firmer in Italy’s signature grape. But you wouldn’t be the first to confuse the two varieties in a blind tasting.

The flavors in Sangiovese can be a moving target. But if there was one tell-tale trait it would be the ever so slight sour aspect to the red cherry notes. Violets can be another trait, aromatically. I also find the wines to be extremely dry, more so than most reds, and the combination of bright acidity and astringency can leave your mouth a little parched.

Sangiovese, like Pinot Noir, is also capable of making extraordinary wines. Classic. Ethereal. So complex they can make your jaw drop, quite literally. Even a modest Chianti Classico can age 10+ years, and a great one up to 50 years or so. Tignanello is approximately 80% Sangiovese…

But as Leonardo said, arms flailing, while there may be a few similarities to Pinot Noir, the differences can be like night and day. Especially in some Brunellos, the wines can be more on the darker fruits, the body much fuller, the structure firmer, and the colors darker.

Where does it grow

This is an interesting point.

Many of the classic grapes are planted far and wide. Look at Cabernet, Merlot, and Chardonnay. They can be found in China, America, France, Canada, Tahiti… or at least they make wine in Tahiti did you know…

But although Sangiovese is the signature grape of Italy, there are comparatively few plantings in other countries.

“We tried,” said Piero Antinori. “I spent years searching for the perfect vineyards in Napa Valley, with some elevation and not too hot, but, in the end, I took it out and planted Cabernet. I don’t know why it doesn’t work. It just seems to prefer to live in Italy.”

Shocking. You can have no idea how much it costs to try and plant a grape variety and then, maybe a decade later, decide it isn’t working. Only a family business founded over 1,000 years ago with quality as its singular aim could undertake such an experiment and make such a decision.

But it’s true. A top quality Sangiovese outside of Italy is a rare event. So my advice would be to stick with Italy, and focus on Chianti Classico and Brunello di Montalcino. I’ll brace myself for abuse from Sangiovese producers worldwide for that comment…

CHIANTI CLASSICO

Note the importance of the word Classico. It’s everything. There is a gigantic difference between a Chianti and a Chianti Classico.

Classico is a designated area, the original homeland so to speak, where the best wines are made. Obviously there’s some dross made even in the Classico zone, but all the finest estates are located here.

It gets more complicated than that. Within the Classico zone there are several subzones. One of my favorites is Castelnuovo Berardenga, partly because it is so fun to say after a bottle in situ. You feel Italian for 3 seconds.

Radda is another great commune. And should be pronounced with a slight aggressivity. Rad DA. These communes, and many more, produce different wines. It’s really a similar story to the appellations of the Medoc, where Margaux is night and day from St Estephe.

But in fairness, many Chianti Classico wines are blends, with Sangiovese forming the backbone. For the pure form, one must journey to Montalcino, a quick one hour drive in your Maserati from Siena. This is arguably the jewel in the crown of Italian wine, or one of.

Montalcino is the town, nestled on a hilltop. It is beyond spectacular. Brunello is the wine, that comes from Montalcino. By law, it must be 100% pure Sangiovese. Laws are never broken…

Tomes could be written about these grand wines, and they are. So I will simply say that you have not experienced wine until you have been to one of the great producers in Montalcino, sat down with the Count who owns it, tasted 8 different vintages going back 20 years, in his castello, with a morsel of cheese, at 11 a.m.

Fortunately, we solve that problem by offering luxury wine tours to Tuscany, originally designed so I could frequently return to this magical place.

What to pair with it

As Lamberto Frescobaldi once said, “Sangiovese is a wine that really needs food to offset the acid and tannins. It’s not a wine for sipping itself.”

For this reason, a few pieces of charcuterie and cheese are typically put out at Italian wineries during tastings.

I suppose the pairing really depends on the occasion, the mood, your preferences and budget, as well as the grandeur of the wine. I recall one of the best pairings was a relatively cheap Chianti Classico at a café in Florence with a pizza. Maybe it was the company that made it so memorable.

For the classic experience, try a Bistecca alla Fiorentina, a massive piece of fine beef, cut tableside, served with delicious roast potatoes, grilled vegetables, slightly rare, and oh so juicy.

Perhaps a luxury wine tour to Tuscany should be on the agenda, just sayin’.