Sangiovese, the ancient Roman grape variety, is a widely planted grape throughout Italy and offers a fantastic selection of drinking wines not only from its ancestral home but from farther afield as well.
What type of wine is Sangiovese?
The Sangiovese is an Italian wine that likely dates back to the height of the Roman Empire. It’s known for being a light-bodied and savoury-tasting wine with notes of tomato and cherry flavours from traditional makers and vintners in its home country. It’s also often described as being ‘rustic’ with lots of depth and plenty of earthy tastes. Like the Pinot Noir grape, it takes on its geographical surroundings very nicely which means that regionally speaking, this wine can taste quite different to other single varietals even produced within the same country.
It’s one of the most prolifically planted grape varieties throughout Italy, particularly in Tuscany, and its history is argued to date back to those ancient Etruscan days when long summers and excellent wine were accompanied by philosophical conversations and the discovery of the high arts. Some have traced its name back to various possible roots, including ‘Blood of Jove’ which, while not the most appetising of names, certainly sounds quite ancient. From the eighteenth century onwards, the history is a lot clearer regarding Sangiovese and its growing popularity among wine drinkers not only at home in Italy but elsewhere around the world as well.
Grown extensively throughout the region of Chianti, it was largely hidden within wine blends for hundreds of years, but the Sangiovese should, and is, finally striving out on its own and holding the stage quite well both at home in Italy as well as elsewhere around the world, including Australia.
Rather than used as alternative varieties of grapes to fatten other blends up, Australian winemakers have been carefully crafting their Sangiovese as single varietal planted in Australia specifically for stand-alone wines. The result has been very successful with awards won, particularly for South Australian wine regions like the Adelaide Hills. It quickly grew to prominence as artisanal wine, recalling old-world charm and, again, we come across that ‘rustic’ descriptor.
When it comes to knowing how to drink an excellent bottle of Sangiovese, head straight to Italian cuisine for inspiration, particularly hovering over tomato-based dishes. Often a lighter-bodied red wine likes a hearty meal pairing consisting of roasted meats and red meat at that. And, this one does very well beside them, especially at barbeques where there’s a lot of grilling of meat going on. The Sangiovese wines are also a lot more forgiving, however, and vegetarians can breathe a small sigh of relief. The peppery taste characteristics of this very versatile wine make it ideally paired with a range of pasta dishes, especially vegetable-heavy dishes. Be sure to be very liberal with the olive oil and the buttery sauces which pair beautifully with the wine’s natural tannins.
When it comes to cheese pairing options, choose hard cheeses like cheddar and gouda and be liberal with some bruschetta on the cheese plate. A rustic sipping wine, and an excellent Chianti alternative, the Sangiovese is a must-try option for your next meal. It will suit warm weather and cool weather easily. Sip it at your local barbeque or picnic or curl up with your glass and a good book, great cheese and listen to the rain fall outside while you stare into a warm home fire.
All of our wines have been carefully curated by our wine experts and tasting notes accompany our selection online. If you’re having trouble nailing down the Sangiovese you really want to try or you’re not sure about the taste profile, don’t hesitate to chat with a wine consultant who can help you develop a must-try list and start you on a Sangiovese self-guided tour. We can help you compare traditional Tuscan varieties alongside the New World United States varieties, and then you can do a final comparison alongside traditional winemakers crafting their own vintages here in Australia. This variety is definitely worth taking the time to acquaint yourself with.
