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Sangiovese is the most widely planted red grape variety in Italy. It has strong associations with its spiritual home Tuscany, although it is also common in each of the other central Italian wine regions. The grape's name translates literally as 'Blood of Jove' (Jove and Jupiter are two Roman names for Zeus, King of the Greek gods), which indicates not only the rich, bright color of the wines it makes but also the reverence paid to those wines. It has risen to almost unrivalled status as Italy's favorite red wine grape, challenged only by Montepulciano, Negroamaro and Barbera. At the start of the 21st century, roughly one in ten vines in Italy were Sangiovese in one form or another.
The Sangiovese vine is renowned for its phenotypical instability. In various expressions and under several names (Sangiovese Grosso, Brunello, Prugnolo Gentile, Morellino), it is the principal vine variety for the majority Tuscany's fine wines. It is the sole grape variety permitted for the prestigious Brunello di Montalcino, and is also dominant in Vino Nobile de Montepulciano. It also serves as a reliable base for the Chianti blend, and plays a part in some of the "Super Tuscans" which have risen to fame in the past thirty years or so.
It has long been thought that Sangiovese Grosso was a distinct clone or cultivar in its own right. Some, particularly those in Montalcino (where it nicknamed Brunello) held it to be a completely distinct variety; there were obvious benefits to Montalcino's Brunello being distinguished from other 'lesser' forms of Sangiovese. Modern ampelographic research has shown, however, that the larger-berried vines once known as Sangiovese Grosso were simply regular Sangiovese whose DNA expressed in a particular way in the Montalcino terroir. In the 1990s the Montalcino vignerons imported various Sangiovese clones from other Italian wine regions (notably the 'R24' clone from Romagna), so Brunello di Montalcino wines are no longer pure Sangiovese 'Grosso'. The DOCG legal documents have been adjusted to reflect the changes. They now stipulate that Brunello di Montalcino must be made esclusivamente dal vitigno "Sangiovese" (denominato, a Montalcino, "Brunello").
Outside Tuscany, Sangiovese is widely planted in Lazio, Umbria (notably the Torgiano and Montefalco DOCG wines), and in Marche (where it is vital to both Rosso Piceno and Rosso Conero). It is also found in Corsica, where it goes by the name Nielluccio.
All clones of Sangiovese are relatively slow ripening, which results in an extended growing season and thus a richer, stronger and longer-lived wine than that made from early ripening varieties. When the vines are encouraged to produce higher yields (as happened all too often in the 20th century) the wine's naturally high acidity is accentuated and its characteristic color diluted noticeably. Further difficulties are experienced because of the grape's thin skin, which makes it susceptible to rot in damp conditions. Throughout Tuscany, Sangiovese is now often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, whether for Chianti (where Cabernet Sauvignon must not exceed 15%) or Vino da Tavola. The blend is highly successful, producing intense fruit and color. (© All rights reserved, Wine-Searcher)
Worldwide, Sangiovese has travelled primarily to the warmer regions such as California and Australia, where late ripening and thin skins are not a problem, and high acidity is a definite asset. The wide variety of clones available suggests that an appropriate earlier ripening or disease-resistant Sangiovese might thrive in cool climate wine regions to give a new style of wine. Experimentation in cooler regions such as Oregon and Washington is underway.
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