Sangiovese

Sangiovese

Sangiovese - or Niellucccio in Corsica - is a dark berried vine that is the most widely planted grape variety in Italy. It is grown in several small areas outside of Italy including the United States, Argentina, Chile, Romania, and Australia.

Good quality Sangiovese is known for its high acid, firm tannins and blaanced nature. There is a savory nature to these grapes with flavors of dark cherry and black stonefruit, with secondary notes of tomato leaf and dried herbs. While not traidtional, the use of oak has grown in popularity and allows these wines to develop rich flavors that tend towards plum and wild raspberry. Light oak aging in a neutral oak barrel is the ideal choice for this wine.

Single strain Snagiovese varietal wines are well known but this grape also works beautifully and is possibly even more well known for its use in blends. It blends wonderfully with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot.

These purple-blue grapes have a thin-skin that will produce a dry, light to medium-bodied wine. The mouth watering acidity and tighter tannins give way to rich flavors that can be very terrior expressive, but in general you should expect flavors of cherry, plum, strawbery, raspberry, fig, red currant, smoke, earth, and herbs. It can also have notes of roasted pepper, elather, clay, brick, oregano, thyme, dried roses, and potpourri.

These wines can age well ranging from 4 to 18 years.

Sangiovese is also known as Nielluccio, Sangioveto, Sangiovese Grosso, Snagiovese Piccolo, Brunello, Prugnolo Gentile, and Morellino.

With this wine's ability to take on so many characteristics of its climate and soil it leaves many choices in yeast for this varietal including: 4244 Italian Red, 4767 Dry/Fortified, BM45, MT, SYR (Syrah), ICV-D254, ICV-D21, ICV-D80, AMH Assmanshausen, ICV-GRE