Sangiovese is a grape that originated in the Tuscany region of Italy since before 1384 when the Chianti region was established.  It was given the name Sanguis Jovis, meaning the blood of Jupiter, deriving from a Capuchin monk of the convent of Sant’Arcangelo di Romagna, on the slopes of Mount Jupiter, during a banquet in honor of Pope Leo XII.  In 1716, there was a race to determine the Chianti Classico region. Florence (had a black rooster Chianti League Symbol) and Siena (had a white rooster) and feuded about borders. Each city sent a rider and when the rooster crowed would take off and where the two riders met would define the border.  Florence didn’t feed their rooster the day before so that the rooster would wake up earlier to crow.  Thus, the area surrounding Florence is the primary region of Chianti Classico.  Sangiovese (the primary grape in Chianti) requires a long warm growing season with alluvial soils high in quartz limestone.  It tends to have a medium body, high acidity, high tannin, and medium high alcohol with flavors of tart cherry with hints of tea leaf.

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