Thursday Virtual Happy Hour: Sangiovese

Sangiovese is the most widely planted grape variety in Italy. It is the key grape in most of the best red wines of Tuscany. Sangiovese has been grown in central Italy for generations, though recent grapevine research suggests the variety is not as ancient as once thought. The quality of Sangiovese wine can be notoriously variable. But in the 1980s, drastically improved winemaking techniques saw a significant shift toward more quality-oriented releases.

In Chianti, the grape variety must account for 70 percent of the blend (75 in the Senesi subzone). For Chianti Classico, the minimum rises to 80 percent. Other better-known Tuscan wines made mainly from Sangiovese, under various names, include Morellino di Scansano (85+ percent) and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (70+ percent). For the latter, Montepulciano is a region not a grape and the wine is often confused with Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. The traditional name for the grape here is Prugnolo Gentile.

As well as red wines, Sangiovese is used for Vin Santo wines across a number of Tuscan appellations. Italian examples are made by drying out the berries in an aerated room. Led by the so-called "Super Tuscans", the Toscana IGT category allows winemakers more freedom to blend indigenous Italian grapes (principally Sangiovese) with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot - see Cabernet – Merlot – Sangiovese to learn more about these wines.

Various meat dishes can work well. Because of its acidity, the grape can match well with fattier meats such as slow-cooked belly pork or duck breasts. Mushrooms have a particular affinity with Sangiovese. A mushroom risotto (alone or as a side dish to a steak) is a suitably Italian partner. Because of the prominent acidity and tannins, care should be taken with sweet or spicy sauces. Barbeque features these, and a degree of char which doubles up on the more astringent aspects of the grape. High-salt dishes or foods can be a problem; for example, Parmesan cheese is not ideal. In general, Sangiovese is not the most obvious wine for cheese, though it could work well with raclette of fondues.

## We have a choice of videos to watch including:

1. https://youtu.be/BiECxAevn5w?si=pT-QfsrwV4FrdVur - Wine Grapes 101: SANGIOVESE - No Sediment (5:30)
2. https://youtu.be/FUsaU-GZNS4?si=w1WUj8kiASh-2oYH - How To Choose The BEST Sangiovese Red Wine - Dr, Matthew Horkey (7:05)
3. https://youtu.be/qK5LfFGXpDM?si=xMTDNXFw4Cb7kf8Q - All About SANGIOVESE - Vero (6:27)

So, pick up a bottle and watch a couple of videos. Let us know what you’re drinking and eating, and, if possible, the region from which your wine comes. Do you have any comments (positive or negative) about the videos? And, as always, tell us what’s going on in your life - what's happening with you, how you're feeling about things, updates, successes, challenges - as much or as little as you’re willing to disclose. We are in this together. And - thank goodness - we have wine!

Cheers!!