Europe’s oldest viticultural area, winemaking has played a vital role in Central Italy for millennia. The area’s native Etruscan inhabitants produced wine as early as 900 BC. They were the world’s first wine connoisseurs, exposing much of the ancient Mediterranean world to the beverage via their maritime trade routes. They were also instrumental in the innovation of winemaking practices that are still used today — Etruscan winemakers have been credited with being the first to employ barrel aging and the blending of different grape varieties to improve a wine’s flavor.

Though clearly one of Italy’s oldest grape varieties, the origins of Sangiovese are not clear. Some research has pointed to it being a wild grape variety. As with Nebbiolo in Northwestern Italy, clonal variations of the grape have gradually developed over the centuries — in turn, specific clones have been embraced within certain geographic areas. This is particularly true in Toscana and the province of Siena, where winemakers in Montalcino or Montepulciano have chosen different versions of Sangiovese from those in Chianti Classico or other parts of Chianti.

One of Italy’s most widely planted grape varieties, Sangiovese can be found across much of the peninsula and surrounding islands. Despite this abundance, it is universally accepted to be in its best form within Central Italy, specifically ranging from Romagna to the Northeast through Central Italy to Toscana at the West. The wines produced from it are always bright in their acidity and robust in their appearance.