Over the course of the last two days, I have had a lot of fun tasting various wines and foods with wine friends and a couple of events. While I tasted many different wines, every time I taste Sangiovese, I confirm that it is my favorite grape in most of its iterations.

It could be that my first years in Italy I lived in Florence and drank lots of Sangiovese, it could be that as a wine professional I have worked often with Tuscan producers, or it could be that it is just a divine grape variety that has the elements I love – fruit, floral notes, garrigue, earthy notes, loads of acidity and mineral driven aromas, elegant tannins, persistence, longevity, and at times heft.

Last night I tasted a Sangiovese blind and when I put it to my nose in the glass, a smile spread across my face and in my heart I knew that was Sangiovese.

Tomorrow is my birthday and I think I will be drinking somehting sparkling and some Sangiovese too.