LUMINOSO ORCIA DOC

Grape Varieties: Sangiovese

Fermentation: 14 days with skins at 28°/30°
Aging: 18 months in French barrels
Refinement: 6 months in bottle
Alcohol in Volume: 13.0%
Lifetime in Bottle: 10-15 years

Tuscany

Situated in central Italy, Tuscany's neighbors are Liguria and Emilia-Romagna to the north, Umbria and Marche to the east and Lazio to the south. Its western boundary is formed by the Tyrrhenian Sea. As is the case with almost all of Italy's 20 regions, Tuscany has a long wine history; it can be traced back as far as the fifth century BC.

Today, Tuscany is one of the most famous and prolific wine regions anywhere in Europe. Its vineyards produce an array of internationally recognized wines in various styles.

The region's top wines are officially recognized and protected by a raft of DOC and DOCG titles.

Climate is a vital factor in this region's success as a wine region. Warm, temperate coastal areas are contrasted by inland areas (particularly those in the rolling hills for which the region is so famous), where increased diurnal temperature variation helps to maintain the grapes' balance of sugars, acidity and aromatics. One variety that particularly thrives on these hillside vineyards is Tuscany’s signature red grape, Sangiovese.

Arguably the most important of all Italian wine grapes, Sangiovese is the mainstay variety in almost all of Tuscany's top reds. Its long history and broad regional distribution means that it has acquired various names. In Montalcino it goes by the name Brunello, whence Brunello di Montalcino. In Montepulciano, it is known as Prugnolo Gentile. Under the name Morellino it is the grape used to make Morellino di Scansano. Sangiovese also features in Chianti, in which it is joined by small amounts of Canaiolo and Colorino, as well as increasing quantities of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

Sangiovese Grape

Sangiovese (or Nielluccio in Corsica), a dark-berried vine, is the most widely planted grape variety in Italy.

Virtually synonymous with the red wines of Tuscany, and all the romanticism that goes with the territory, Sangiovese is the core constituent in some of the great names in Italian wine.

Italy's love affair with Sangiovese – and indeed the world's - is generations old, though recent grapevine research suggests the variety is not as ancient as once thought.

Sangiovese is prized for its high acid, firm tannins and balanced nature.

Savory flavors of dark cherries and black stone fruit are characteristic, and may be backed by secondary notes of tomato leaf and dried herbs.

The use of oak has become more popular and this coaxes richer flavors from the grapes, tending toward plum and wild raspberry.