About
this Six-Bottle
Sampler:
Sangiovese is derived from the phrase sanguis Jovis, meaning 'blood of Jove.' To understand Italy's most likeable grape is to understand that its development took thousands of years beginning with its Etruscan infancy through the Middle Ages and into modern times. Over the centuries, it has spawned many clones, taking the names such as Sangioveto (Chianti), Sangiovese Grosso (Montalcino), Prugnolo (Montepulciano), and Morellino (Maremma), in addition to assuming the names of several towns where it excels. The grape is also prevalent throughout Italy in wines such as Le Marche's Rosso Piceno (where it is usually blended with Montepulciano), Umbria's Torgiano (usually blended with Canaiolo), and Emilia-Romagna's Sangiovese di Romagna, but it truly shines in Toscana. These diverse forms can cause confusion in the complex landscape of Italian wines.
To find value and approachability in Sangiovese it is important to understand this grape's existence outside of Brunello and Super-Tuscans. Rosso di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Carmignano, Morellino di Scansano - these are the many faces of the noble Sangiovese. These Tuscan treasures range from simple everyday wines which often are celebrated for their seamless marriage with food to collectible wines known for their exceptional value.This overview provides a platform that begins to explain the flexibility in style that Sangiovese demonstrates.
Sangiovese is just as well-known as some of the international varieties it's had such a complicated relationship with. But its governing DOC has done it somewhat of a disservice by accommodating the fancy of the market through various changes in Sangiovese's contribution to and partners within the Chianti formula.
The producers featured herein, however, have striven to satisfy their conception of Sangiovese, working in the best interests of the grape and maintaining its integrity by getting to know intimately how it responds to and interacts with the various elements comprising the terroir concerned. In so doing, they have satisfied their conception of Sangiovese-one that is rooted in an understanding of what this grape offers rather than what it doesn't.
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