Sangiovese, the star of chianti

But the area is also the playground of an outstanding grape variety – Sangiovese. The fact that this variety is among the most widely planted in Italy – with 11% of the country’s area under vine – is no accident. Depending on the categories, it accounts for a whopping 70 to 80% at least of the varietal range in this area. Obviously, Sangiovese covers a broad range embracing many clones – there are a hundred or so of them. But in Tuscany, and particularly in the demarcated area of Chianti, it encounters all of the conditions that make it the unrivalled star of the local wine industry. It likes clay-limestone soils where it is generally harvested from the second half of September to mid-October. Its minor shortcoming is that it has a tendency to produce an abundant crop, and its vigour has to be channelled. In the right conditions, though, it produces extremely delicate wines that are well equipped to withstand the test of time. Then there is its extensive aromatic spectrum which is unusually complex, ranging from red and black fruits (plum, cherry, blackberry…) to oaky notes with vanilla, coffee and tobacco accents, then empyreumatic and truffle tones with the passing of time. Sangiovese is a dazzling jewel which adds a sparkle to Chianti wines on tables around the world. It is the key emblem of this wine region, as Tempranillo is to Rioja and Pinot noir to Burgundy.

By Francesco Saverio Russo photographs - Courtesy of the estates