Catgiovese
If you have ever tasted any Italian wine for the first time, it’s very likely that it was from the Sangiovese grape.
But even though Chianti and Tuscany became synonyms for Italian wine all over the world, the northern Italian region has much more to offer and it’s one of the most vibrant and diverse wine spots in the world.
The main regions in Italy are:
✤ PIEDMONT
✤ VENETO & THE DOLOMITI
✤ CENTRAL ITALY
Piedmont: Where Barolo is king
In the northwestern part of the country, the most famous regions and wines are:
✾ Barolo DOCG: Where Nebbiolo is king, home of some of the most prestigious Italian wines
✾ Barbera d’Asti DOGC: Where Barbera grape thrives
✾ Asti: A region that gave the name to a method of producing sparkling wines
✾ Barbaresco DOGC: Also well known for Nebbiolo. Here, this variety ripens early and gives fruitier and less perfumed wines
✾ Gavi DOGC: The best white wines of Piedmont, made from the Cortese grape, come from this region
HEY THERE! I’M CATGIOVESE, WOULD YOU TO LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ME?
If you think about Italian wine, the first thing that may come to your mind is the iconic bottle of Chianti wine, from Tuscany. This wine is made from the Sangiovese variety, hence my name. the best wines comes from the vines planted in a subregion designated by Cosimo de Medici III as Chianti Classico. All Chianti wines must be made with at least 80% of Sangiovese.
Our ancestors arrived to these lands before the romans and helped the first agrarian societies to protect their grains from rodents. When winemaking started, we offered also our services and we have been working in the industry for centuries. We also patrol the vineyard looking for grasShoppers and count with the help of our cousin, the mountain cat, to keep rabbits at bay. This job has a huge responsibility but we bear it with the pride of knowing that, when you enjoy a fine bottle of Chianti, there was a cat that worked hard to produce one of the most iconic wines of Italy.
In the picture I’m wearing a shirt with traditional florentine decoration and a hat to protect myself from the sun at the vineyard. I’m hugging a lovely bottle of Chianti that is bigger than me. Unluckily, as I’m a cat, I cannot enjoy this wine but I hope you will be able to enjoy it for me. Just give me some extra love and food in exchange.
Veneto & the Dolomiti: More than Prosecco and Pinot Grigio
In the northwestern part of the country, the most famous regions and wines are:
✾ Alto Adige: Surrounded by the Alps, this mountainous region is more famous for its white wines, specially those made from Pinot Grigio
✾ Trentino: Between Alto Adige and Lago di Garda, this region is also famous for its wines made from Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay.
✾ Veneto and Friuli-Venezia-Giulia: Home of the best examples of Pinot Grigio in Italy as well as Prosecco, the most famous Italian sparkilg wine
✾ Valpolicella: Northwest of Verona, the most famous grape is Corvina. The Passito method and the Ripasso method are also associated with some of the best red wines produced in the entirely Veneto region.
✾ Soave: East of Verona, this region is well known internationally for its wines made from Garganega grape: Soave and Soave Clasico
HAVE YOU SEEN OUR WINES & SAKE MERCH?
Meet the coolest Wine Cats around!
Central Italy: The heartland of Italian viticulture
Most of the Italian wine production comes from this region. It’s also the favourite one for Catgiovese, a very proud Chianti advocate:
✾ Chianti: Based in the foothills of the Appenines, between the cities of Pisa, Florence and Siena, home of the Chianti DOGC wines and the superior quality Chianti Classico DOGC wines
✾ Southern Tuscany is much more than Chianti. Regions like Brunello di Montalcino or Bolgheri also deserve their own spot with wines made with indigenous and non indigenous grapes.
✾ Marche: The best white wines from Central Italy come from this region, famous for the Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOGC, made from the Verdicchio grape
✾ Abruzzo: Famous for its black red variety, Montepulciano, and the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC
Looking for places to visit & taste Sangiovese in Italy?
We offer bespoke wine tours worldwide – Get in touch to learn more
