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Touching on Tuscany

When I think of Tuscany, I think of one grape: Sangiovese, AKA the “Blood of Jove,” the most widely planted grape in all of Italy. Yeah, there are other fun clusters hanging around, like Vernaccia (Vernaccia di San Gimignano, a rockstar white), but come on. Sangiovese steals the show. A thin skinned, late ripening red, not only is it the sole grape variety permitted for Brunello di Montalcino, along with it’s little brother Rosso di Montalcino, but it’s also the base for Chianti, Vino Nobile de Montepulciano, and many “Super-Tuscans.” And yep, it’s Italian, so you know that it’s great with food and dressed to the nines. Well, at least it’s great with food.  Making naturally acidic, medium-to-full-bodied wines, Sangiovese is particularly adept at cutting through rich dishes like hearty meat-centric fare and tomato-based pastas. If you’ve been to Italy and have fond memories of the wine, it’s a good bet that Sangiovese is what you’re thinking of. This next tasting should be epic!

– Matt