Sangiovese is Italy’s most widely planted and culturally significant red grape, yet it is far from uniform. More than most varieties, Sangiovese is a mirror of its environment, translating soil, altitude, climate, and winemaking tradition into wines with distinctly different expressions. From structured, long-lived icons to vibrant, immediately appealing wines, Sangiovese offers a remarkable spectrum of style, rooted in its region of origin.
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Tuscany: The Spiritual Home of Sangiovese
Nowhere does Sangiovese reveal its potential more clearly than in Tuscany, where centuries of tradition have honed the grape into its most captivating forms.
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Situated between Florence and Siena, Chianti Classico produces some of Sangiovese’s most balanced and expressive wines. Here, Sangiovese is defined by purity and precision. Aromas of sour cherry, red currant, violet, and dried herbs, all supported by refined tannins and lively acidity. The best examples combine immediacy with ageing potential, offering clarity rather than sheer power.
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Producers defined by purity, site expression, and longevity
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Isole e Olena - Refined, polished, and consistently among the appellation’s elite
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Felsina – Structured, age-worthy wines from Castelnuovo Berardenga
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Fontodi - A benchmark for modern Chianti Classico; powerful yet precise wines from Panzano’s galestro soils
- Castello di Ama - Elegant, cerebral expressions with a strong sense of place
- Rocca di Montegrossi – Old-vine intensity paired with freshness and balance
- Querciabella – Pure, mineral-driven Sangiovese with a Burgundian sensibility
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In Montalcino, Sangiovese reaches its most commanding expression. Known locally as Brunello, the grape delivers wines of depth, structure, and longevity. Warm days, cooling breezes, and varied soils contribute to wines marked by dark cherry, wild herbs, leather, and mineral complexity. Brunello’s hallmark is its ability to evolve gracefully over decades, gaining nuance and savoury detail with time.
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The most powerful and long-lived expressions of Sangiovese
- Biondi-Santi – The historic originator of Brunello; elegance and longevity above all
- Il Poggione – Classical structure with consistent excellence across vintages
- Uccelliera – Small-production, intensely traditional Brunello prized by collectors
- Conti Costanti – Perfumed, refined, and highly sought after
- Il Maronneto – Opulence of fruit, yet also total poise and refinement
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Toscana IGT (Sangiovese-Led Wines)
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The Toscana IGT designation represents one of the most influential quality movements in modern Italian wine. Established to give producers greater creative freedom outside traditional appellation rules, Toscana IGT became the home of some of Italy’s most iconic and internationally celebrated wines, many of which place Sangiovese at their core.
Rather than signalling lesser quality, Toscana IGT often indicates the opposite: meticulous vineyard selection, low yields, and a willingness to prioritise site expression over regulation.
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Creative freedom, meticulous selection, and modern icons
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Beyond Mainland Italy
Corsica (Niellucciu)
Across the Mediterranean in Corsica, Sangiovese is known as Niellucciu. Influenced by maritime conditions, these wines are aromatic and structured, often marked by wild herbs, red berries, and saline freshness. They offer a distinctive, island-born interpretation of the grape.
New World Expressions
Sangiovese has found a thoughtful home in regions such as Australia, California, and Argentina, where producers seek elegance rather than excess. These wines tend to be fruit-forward and approachable, yet the most compelling examples retain the grape’s natural acidity and savoury edge, offering a modern lens on a historic variety.
A Grape Defined by Place
What unites all expressions of Sangiovese is not power, but proportion. Freshness, aromatic clarity, and a tactile, food-friendly structure define the grape across regions and styles. Its sensitivity to terroir ensures that no two interpretations are alike, making it endlessly fascinating for collectors and enthusiasts alike.
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