🍇 Welcome to the Finale — Sangiovese Part Three

You’ve learned the legend. You’ve met the clones. Now it’s time to feast. In our final Sangiovese dispatch, we’re diving fork-first into the culinary partners of Tuscany’s most iconic grape. Because what’s a Sangiovese without something delicious on the plate?

If you missed it, catch back up on our Sangiovese series:

• Part 1: Blood of the Gods & Italy’s Backbone

• Part 2: A Tale of Clones & Kingdoms

🍝 Sangiovese Loves Tomatoes

Sangiovese’s high acidity and savory, herbal tones make it a natural partner for tomato-based dishes — one of the ultimate Italian pairings. Think Chianti in a fiasco with a plate of pasta al pomodoro at a rustic trattoria: simple, vibrant, and perfect. The tomatoes’ acidity balances the wine, and the herbs in your pasta echo its earthy notes — a match made in cucina heaven.

Why it works:

• Acidity in both food and wine keeps each other in check, letting delicate fruit notes shine.

• Herbs like oregano, thyme, and sage mirror the wine’s earthy profile, amplifying cherry, plum, and berry flavors.

• It’s the classic Tuscan duo: wine and tomatoes, born to be together.

Pair It With:
🍝 Pasta al pomodoro
🍕 Margherita pizza
🍆 Eggplant parmigiana
🐗 Pappardelle al Cinghiale
🍝 Pici al Ragù
🍅 Pappa al Pomodoro (Tuscan tomato soup with basil oil drizzle)

💡 Pro Tip: Add fresh herbs — sage, thyme, oregano, basil — to make those cherry notes pop.

🧀 Say Cheese: Pecorino Time

One of Tuscany’s most iconic pairings: Pecorino Toscano + Sangiovese. But pecorino isn’t just one thing — it’s a family of cheeses found all over Italy:

🏛️ Pecorino Romano — famously salty, perfect in Roman classics
🐑 Pecorino Sardo — where it originated, in Sardegna
🌄 Pecorino Toscano & Pecorino di Pienza — grown in the Val d’Orcia, these are the ultimate Sangiovese companions, coming from soils similar to the vineyards themselves

Why it works:
🥛 Young, creamy pecorino mellows the wine’s acidity — think of wine acidity as a toothbrush, cleaning your palate for the next delicious bite 🪥

🧀 Aged cheeses bring the wine to life: the acidity cuts through the richness, the cheese’s proteins mellow the tannins, and the nutty, umami-packed flavors of aged pecorino dance with a robust, full-bodied Sangiovese

🌿 Savory notes in the wine love the umami of aged cheeses — it’s terroir talking to terroir

Other cheeses that sing with Sangiovese:
🧀 Aged Parmesan
🐑 Manchego
🧀 Asiago
🧀 Aged Gouda

🥩 The Big One: Steak & Brunello

If Sangiovese is a love story, then Brunello and Bistecca alla Fiorentina is its steamy final chapter.

Bistecca alla Fiorentina is more than a steak — it’s a ritual. A massive T-bone cut, sourced from Chianina cattle, a breed native to Tuscany and prized for its lean, flavorful meat that’s deeply tied to the land. The meat is dry-aged for a minimum of 15–25 days and grilled over open flames, served rare, with the only flavoring being good sea salt and fresh, robust extra virgin olive oil. Nothing else. Ask for it any other way, and you might be shown the exit door. It’s simplicity, terroir, and fire coming together — pure Tuscan magic on a plate.

High tannins and bold structure hold up beautifully to rich, grilled meat.
Tannins bind with proteins, softening texture and enhancing flavor.
Acidity cuts through fat, refreshing the palate for another bite… and another.

Pair With:
Bistecca alla Fiorentina 🔥
Peposo (Tuscan black pepper beef stew)
Braised short ribs
Charred lamb chops

Vegetarian? No problem — rich, umami-packed dishes like lentils, grilled portobello, eggplant steaks and parmigiana, or mushroom risotto also sing alongside Brunello.

🍄 Earth to Earth: Vegetarian & Earthy Pairings

Sangiovese shines with earthy, umami-rich dishes — umami being that savory, mouth-filling flavor that keeps you reaching for the next bite.

Some of our favorites:
🍄 Tagliatelle ai funghi, especially with porcini — these prized mushrooms grow in forests across Tuscany, Umbria, and Emilia-Romagna, offering incredible depth and savory umami
🍄 Truffle pasta
🍄 Wild mushroom risotto
🍕 Caramelized onion & mushroom pizza
🥕 Roasted root vegetables with balsamic glaze

The wine’s herbal, tomato-stem, and forest-floor notes vibe beautifully with earthy ingredients, making every bite and sip feel like a stroll through a Tuscan forest.

🔥 Pro Pairing Tips

🍷 Match intensity: Light Sangiovese (like Morellino) loves lighter fare; bold, structured (like Brunello) demands richer, hearty dishes. Think of it as letting the wine lead the dance.

🍅 Balance acid with acid: Tomatoes, vinegar-based sauces, bright herbs — acidity in food and wine keeps everything lively, fresh, and in harmony.

🌿 Embrace the herbs: Thyme, sage, rosemary, oregano aren’t just seasonings — they’re flavor bridges connecting the wine and the dish.

🧂 Salt tames tannins: A pinch of salt does more than season — it softens the wine’s tannins and makes every sip balanced.

⚖️ Find balance: Never overpower the food with the wine, or the wine with the food. Look for harmony and ease — a sip and a bite to remember.

🌍 Think regional: What grows together, goes together. Sangiovese from Montalcino shines alongside Pecorino from Val d’Orcia — same terroir, same soul. Try to put a map in your head.

🔄 Contrast is key: Pair rich, fatty foods with high-acid or tannic Sangiovese to cleanse your palate and amplify flavors.

🍄 Think umami: Earthy, savory ingredients (mushrooms, aged cheese, roasted veggies) mirror Sangiovese’s herbal and forest-floor notes — a perfect echo on the plate.

🎉 Have fun: Don’t be scared to try new things — experimenting is all part of the tasting experience.

🛍️ Taste Tuscany at Home (and Beyond)

🍷 You don’t need a passport to enjoy Sangiovese at your table — but you can bring the magic of Tuscany right into your home. We’re now scheduling private tastings for winter, and we’d love to create an unforgettable evening for you: delicious small-production wines, regional dishes, stories from the producers, and a little bit of Tuscan chaos.

🥂 Our first producer feature is coming this week: Fabio Giannetti of La Fornace, crafting 100% Sangiovese for his Brunello di Montalcino. These wines pair beautifully with the dishes we’ve highlighted — from pasta pomodoro to Bistecca alla Fiorentina — and are a staple in many of our at-home tastings.

⭐ Scarpetta Club members will also have the exclusive opportunity to purchase these incredible Sangiovese wines directly from La Fornace — and with a special discount — through our upcoming producer feature newsletter.

🍽️ Plus, stay tuned for our recipes newsletter, with full Tuscan recipes designed to perfectly complement Sangiovese — so you can enjoy the taste of Tuscany even if you can’t travel.

📩 Ready to book a tasting? Email or DM us today and let’s make your table a Tuscan escape.

That’s a wrap on Sangiovese! 🍷

Whether you’re sipping a sun-kissed Morellino on a lazy patio, swirling a bold Chianti under a golden afternoon, or cellaring Brunello for a memorable holiday feast, remember: this isn’t just wine. It’s centuries of sun, soil, and story, bottled for your table.

Every sip is a little adventure — a whisper of Tuscan hills, a nod from the vine, a wink from the winemaker. It stains more than your glass; it stains your memory, your laughter, your very sense of celebration.

So pour, taste, savor, and never forget — life is richer with Sangiovese, and Tuscany is just a sip away.

🍇 Cheers, saluti, and a little Sangiovese-stained love,
Ryan