Chianti Classico and Brunello are the top wines made from Sangiovese, an excellent grape at the heart of Tuscan wine culture that is grown in this enchanting region.

Sangiovese grapes and Tuscany have had a long-term love affair that has survived the years. Large plantations and numerous vineyards have made this grape a cult in Tuscany, the undisputed star of local wine culture and a favorite with red wine lovers all over the world.

Sangiovese: A strong and balanced personality.

What characteristics make Sangiovese into such unique wines? Is it perhaps its ability to tell the story of the local terroir better than others? Sangiovese certainly has special organoleptic properties that make it universal and recognizable, even to non-connoisseurs. Its large, late-ripening grape - in fact, the Sangiovese harvest starts later than all the others, in mid-September – offers strength, character, and a structure that recalls a world of fruits, packed with hints of violet, cherry, iris, blackberry, rose, and plum. All this is backed up by a more earthy taste redolent of truffles, mushroom, undergrowth and fern. The result is a perfect blend of flavours and aromas that, while being refined and floral, are also intense and rooted in the earth.

Tradition becomes noble in Brunello di Montalcino.

This grape is at its fullest purity in 100% Sangiovese Brunello di Montalcino, though other wine denominations are made purely from Sangiovese grapes, notably Chianti Classico, Nobile di Montepulciano and Morellino di Scansano. Foremost of all is Brunello di Montalcino, recognized as a DOC wine in 1996 and safeguarded by a local consortium of winegrowers in the province of Siena, within the municipal territory of Montalcino. This wine has an intense ruby red color, tending toward garnet as it ages; it has a characteristic and intense aroma and a dry, warm, robust, lively yet harmonious flavour. It goes particularly well with roasts and game. It should be served at room temperature. It qualifies as “Riserva” when it has been aged for no less than five years.

Chianti Classico wine and its territory.

Chianti Classico, recognized as a DOC wine in 1967, merits a podium finish in our table. This wine-producing area of some 70,000 hectares lies between the two provinces of Florence and Siena. Its boundaries roughly correspond to those set in a notice issued by the Grand Duke of Tuscany in 1716, when for the first time in the history of wine production, an area of production was legally defined. Protected by the Chianti Classico Wine Consortium, this beverage has a lively ruby-red colour, and tends towards garnet with ageing; with an intensely vinous aroma, it has a distinct and pervasive scent of violets, with time acquiring a more pronounced harmonic finesse, as well as a drier, savoury and slightly tannic flavour that slowly refines into softness and velvet. It qualifies as “Vecchio” when it is at least two years old and has an alcohol content of 12.5 degrees. “Reserve” applies to bottles aged for five years.

Staying in Tuscany.

To discover the history and taste of Tuscan wine - not just Sangiovese! - what better than to stay at the elegant Relais Villa Grazianella | UNA Esperienze in Montepulciano, immersed in the enchanting Siena hills, where guests can enjoy a fairytale holiday away from the stresses of city life. Speaking of wine, the hotel has its own wine tasting room and a wine shop where guests can explore the best local wines. 
We may also suggest another fine residence nestled among the Tuscan hills: UNAHOTELS Poggio dei Medici Toscana, a magical place for an unforgettable stay. The hotel offers a large golf course, a wellness and fitness centre, and spacious rooms/suites equipped with all mod cons. 
If you prefer the magical and charming streets of the Tuscan capital, in Florence the Gruppo UNA offers the evocative and modern UNAHOTELS Vittoria Firenze, with interiors designed by famous architect Fabio Novembre.