Sangiovese
Also called Brunello, Morellino, Prugnolo Gentile, Sangioveto.
Italy's most planted red, and the one that carries Tuscany. Thin skin, high acid, firm tannin, and a late harvest, which is why it does so badly in a cool year and so well in a warm one. The flavours run to sour cherry, dried herbs, tea leaf and something savoury that people usually reach for the word tomato to describe. It takes a hard line from its site: Montalcino gives weight, Chianti Classico gives lift, Romagna gives an easier wine that drinks young.
Worth knowing
It answers to a lot of names. Brunello in Montalcino, Prugnolo Gentile in Montepulciano, Morellino in Scansano, Sangioveto in old Chianti texts. All one vine. The clone matters more than almost anything else about it, and the replanting of Tuscany with better clones from the 1990s on did more for the wine than any change in the cellar.
Where it is allowed112 appellations
Tuscany43
- Barco Reale di CarmignanoDOClead grapemin 50%Still hunting
- BolgheriDOCTasted
- Brunello di MontalcinoDOCGlead grape100%, locally called BrunelloTasted
- Candia dei Colli ApuaniDOCStill hunting
- CapalbioDOClead grapeStill hunting
- CarmignanoDOCGlead grapemin 50%Still hunting
- ChiantiDOCGlead grapemin 70%Tasted
- Chianti ClassicoDOCGlead grapemin 80%Tasted
- Colli dell'Etruria CentraleDOClead grapeStill hunting
- Colline LucchesiDOClead grapeStill hunting
- CortonaDOCStill hunting
- ElbaDOCStill hunting
- Grance SenesiDOClead grapeStill hunting
- Maremma ToscanaDOClead grapeStill hunting
- MontecarloDOCStill hunting
- MontecuccoDOClead grapeStill hunting
- Montecucco SangioveseDOCGlead grapemin 90%Still hunting
- Monteregio di Massa MarittimaDOClead grapeStill hunting
- MontescudaioDOClead grapeStill hunting
- Morellino di ScansanoDOCGlead grapemin 85%, locally MorellinoStill hunting
- OrciaDOClead grapeStill hunting
- ParrinaDOClead grapeStill hunting
- PominoDOCTasted
- Rosso della Val di Cornia (Val di Cornia Rosso)DOCGlead grapemin 40%Still hunting
- Rosso di MontalcinoDOClead grape100%Tasted
- Rosso di MontepulcianoDOClead grapePrugnolo Gentile, min 70%Still hunting
- San GimignanoDOClead grapeStill hunting
- Sant'AntimoDOCStill hunting
- SovanaDOClead grapeStill hunting
- SuveretoDOCGStill hunting
- Terratico di BibbonaDOClead grapeStill hunting
- Terre di CasoleDOClead grapeStill hunting
- Terre di PisaDOClead grapeStill hunting
- Val d'ArbiaDOCStill hunting
- Val d'Arno di Sopra (Valdarno di Sopra)DOClead grapeStill hunting
- Val di CorniaDOCStill hunting
- Valdichiana ToscanaDOCStill hunting
- ValdinievoleDOCStill hunting
- Vin Santo del ChiantiDOCStill hunting
- Vin Santo del Chianti ClassicoDOCTasted
- Vin Santo di CarmignanoDOCStill hunting
- Vin Santo di MontepulcianoDOCStill hunting
- Vino Nobile di MontepulcianoDOCGlead grapemin 70%, locally Prugnolo GentileStill hunting
Lazio13
- ApriliaDOCStill hunting
- Castelli RomaniDOCStill hunting
- CerveteriDOCStill hunting
- CirceoDOCStill hunting
- Colli della SabinaDOCStill hunting
- Colli Etruschi Viterbesi (Tuscia)DOCTasted
- Colli LanuviniDOCStill hunting
- GenazzanoDOCStill hunting
- NettunoDOCStill hunting
- RomaDOCStill hunting
- TarquiniaDOCStill hunting
- VelletriDOCStill hunting
- VignanelloDOCStill hunting
Umbria12
- AmeliaDOCStill hunting
- AssisiDOCStill hunting
- Colli AltotiberiniDOClead grapeStill hunting
- Colli del Trasimeno (Trasimeno)DOCStill hunting
- Colli MartaniDOCStill hunting
- Colli PeruginiDOClead grapeStill hunting
- Lago di CorbaraDOCStill hunting
- MontefalcoDOClead grape60 to 80%Still hunting
- Rosso OrvietanoDOClead grapeStill hunting
- TodiDOCStill hunting
- TorgianoDOClead grapeStill hunting
- Torgiano Rosso RiservaDOCGlead grapemin 70%Still hunting
Puglia12
- AlezioDOCStill hunting
- BarlettaDOCStill hunting
- BrindisiDOCStill hunting
- Cacc'e Mmitte di LuceraDOCStill hunting
- CopertinoDOCStill hunting
- Gioia del ColleDOCStill hunting
- LizzanoDOCStill hunting
- MatinoDOCStill hunting
- Orta NovaDOClead grapemin 60%Still hunting
- Rosso di CerignolaDOCStill hunting
- San SeveroDOCStill hunting
- SquinzanoDOCStill hunting