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Sangiovese is a red wine grape originally thought to have been cultivated by Etruscans in Tuscany. In Latin, it is sanguis Jovis, or Jove's blood. Young Sangiovese has the taste of strawberry and mildly spicy. When aged in oak barrels, my favorite aging method, it takes on the oaky flavor. It has more body that way. It is the primary grape used in the production of Chianti.
The high acidity and moderate alcohol of Sangiovese help it to pair with lots of non-creamy dishes. By itself, it goes well with any grilled, smoked or roasted red or white meat. It is a good choice with any red sauce pasta. Scallopini, Marsala, and Picotta dishes go well with Sangiovese.
Sangiovese is frequently used in blends with other dry strong red wines. Examples are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah, Lemberger, and a trilogy like Meritage. Perhaps the best Sangiovese blend available in my opinion is the Ventosa Vineyards Saggio Mark Nine Series. It is a blend of nine different dry reds, most prominently the Sangiovese. It is oak barrel aged.
I am Vegan. So I prefer to use it when making vegan dishes with such spices as basil, thyme, sage, oregano, bay leaf and garlic. All play well off the herbal quality of Sangiovese. When used with such spices, dishes from roasted corn, yellow summer squash, green zucchini, seedless, crushed, diced or whole tomato sauce as a base are very harmonious. Any colorful seasonal crunchy vegetable goes well in a stew pot. Various beans such as black, red, butter, cannannelli, kidney, great northern, pea, kidney, and pink add chewiness, protein and fiber to the mix.
Sangiovese can be sipped and enjoyed alone, as part of a blend, and used in marinades.
Please feel free to add your uses for Sangiovese, and share favorite local vintages in the comments section.
