Welcome to Wine 102, a deeper dive into some of the less common varietals you see on store shelves or restaurant wine lists.  Jumping back to the red side of the fence, we have Sangiovese!

Sangiovese looks like an Italian name, because it is.  While some Sangiovese is grown in California, the vast majority of it is grown in Italy, and is responsible for some great names in the wine world you might have heard before or seen while perusing the shelves of your local wine shop.  For example, Chianti Classico, it’s made of Sangiovese.  Brunello di Montalcino and vino nobile di Montepulciano also fall into the list of wines made with Sangiovese.  So do Tuscan blends referred to as Super Tuscans.

While certain unique things make all these wines delicious (and that you could fall down a fairly long rabbit hole on any of them), they share a commonality in Sangiovese. From a structure perspective, this red grape produces wines more in line with Pinot Noir, focused on acidity rather than tannin.  Similar to Pinot again, you see a skew in top Sangiovese to include earthy, complex flavors and texture.  When it’s young, it pulls in beautiful elements of baked cherries and spices, yet, as it ages, begins to change into a wine that can feature dried herbs, mocha, earthy notes, or even hints of salinity (it doesn’t mean someone salted your wine, rather it’s a perception of salt).  All of this character makes Sangiovese one of the best wines for food, especially Tuscan food, where pairing with extra virgin olive oil is a must!

Quick Facts on Sangiovese:

Color: Red
Style: Dry
Body:  Medium
General Characteristics:  Baked Cherries, Mocha, Dried Herbs, Red Currant
Notable Regions:  Tuscany (Italy)

While Chianti is typically the go to Sangiovese, Super Tuscan’s can pack a ton of flavor into a good value.  So does Capanne Ricciolo Toscana 2014 stay true to Sangiovese, and make a great blend?

Sight:  A medium hue red, with a pleasant ruby sort of tone and brightness.

Smell:   The first impressions are earthy, with elements of cocoa and mushrooms swirling around vanilla like notes. Cherries and red plums all come together with a hint of tomato.  Spice wraps the nose in a swaddling blanket.

Sip:  Bright with lots of cherry, and deep earthy flavors ranging from mushrooms to dark chocolate to leather.  There’s a hint of salinity embedded in the light-medium body.   There are spicy notes, currants, and raspberries all present as well.  The texture is a little pointed, but refreshing.

Savor:  A macerated raspberry and dusty leather flavor lingers with light tannins.

Capanne Ricciolo Toscana is a fun balance of deep brooding earthy flavors juxtaposed with bright red fruit.  The wine itself being so lively helps it to be not only food friendly, but fun to drink.  As a Sangiovese goes, this is delightful, and the Syrah adds a little body to help improve the experience.  While the bottle is a little confusing, Capanne Ricciolo Toscana 2014 is a beautiful Tuscan red at only $11.

Verdict:  Earth, Cherry, Spice, Bright
Price: $11
Toscana, Italy IGT
Available at Wine Library