> Skip to content

Article  •  8 November 2018

 

Know your grapes… Sangiovese

From Everything Happens for a Riesling, Grace De Morgan introduces a wine-derful red.

SANGIOVESE

• Adaptable grape with mutations across Italy

• Savoury red with flavours ranging from earthy to fruity

• High in acidity, high in tannin


Sangiovese is the hot itinerant farmhand of the wine world. You know the type – dark curly hair, shirt sticking to his sweaty, sun-kissed chest, bronzed biceps that can make you lose track of… lose track of…
 

Sorry, what?

Sangiovese! Sangiovese. Hi.
 

From central Italy, this shirtless wonder is adaptable to most environments, with flavours varying from very fruit-forward to earthy. When he’s carefully cultivated and given some boundaries, rustic Sangiovese can show you the best of Tuscany. Try the Chianti Classico from the cooler hills of central Tuscany or Brunello di Montalcino from the warmer south (if you’re feeling fancy). If you’re looking for him in Oz – which can be tricky as he doesn’t tend to travel outside of Italy – search him out in Mediterranean climates like South Australia. McLaren Vale and Barossa Valley are your safest bet. Heathcote in Victoria is also worth a look. In NZ, he’s at his most developed in warmer regions like Auckland and Hawke’s Bay. The perfect varietal to take a tumble in the hay with.
 

Fave meal: A long lunch starring his homemade pasta with Puttanesca sauce.

Fave outfit: His birthday suit.

Fave song: The sound of your racing heart.

Feature Title

Everything Happens for a Riesling
Your not so fancy-pants guide to wine. The ultimate book for winos who don’t take themselves too seriously, but do seriously love their wine.
Read more

More features

See all
Article
Wines for words

Classic wine and book pairings for your boozy book club.

Article
Abbey’s bookshop in Sydney is celebrating 90 years of Penguin books

Learn about the 4-day Penguin pop-up hosted by Abbey’s bookshop, including special release editions, bookmarks and limited-edition tote bags.

Article
Write It Fellowship Shortlist 2025

We are thrilled to announce the shortlist for the Write It Fellowship 2025.

Article
Your guide to pre-ordering Alchemised

Learn how to pre-order Alchemised by SenLin Yu and join the thousands of readers who will start reading it on 23 September 2025.

Article
How to make Book Week less stressful

5 tips to help you plan now and avoid Book Week stress later.

Article
Penguin Children’s Bookseller Grant 2025

Learn more and apply for the Penguin Children’s Bookseller Grant – a $200,000 initiative designed to engage young readers.

Article
QUIZ: Which Hawthorne brother is your soulmate?

Take this quiz to find out which Hawthorne brother from The Inheritance Games series would be your perfect match.

Article
The Lottie Brooks books, in order

Don’t know which order to read the Lottie Brooks books? Find out which to read first, and learn a little bit about each book.

Article
James Beard Award-winning cookbooks of 2025

Check out some of the incredible books honoured at the 2025 James Beard Foundation Book Awards.

Article
QUIZ: Which YA thriller should you read next?

Take this quiz to find out which YA thriller should be your next read!

Article
Penguin Fantasy Fest 2025

Penguin Fantasy Fest is back and better than ever!

Article
5 of the hottest YA books right now (2025)

Check out some of the hottest YA books in stores now, from epic romantasy to sweet, unexpected romance.

Looking for more articles?

See all articles
penguin pop image
penguin pop image