Ciliegiolo: The grape you probably haven't heard of which is set to become the wine drinker's favourite
Ciliegiolo may be a grape not many of us have heard of… or can say, but Christine Austin, on a visit to the Tuscany coast in Italy, thinks it could soon take hold as a wine drinker’s favourite.
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As someone who can pronounce most grape names and wine estates with confidence, even the difficult ones like Buitenverwachting and Vergelegen, I was surprised that it took me two days to master the Italian grape variety Ciliegiolo.
Only after a day of getting it wrong, someone suggested ‘chill-ya-jolo’ which is near enough.
This is a variety that Tuscany has been growing for centuries, however if plantings of this historic grape, particularly in the Maremma region, continue to expand at recent rates, then we are all going to have to work on saying it correctly.
Nobody really knows where Ciliegiolo came from, although it was mentioned as being cultivated around Florence in the 1600’s.
Recent DNA analysis has pointed it to being a parent of Tuscany’s Sangiovese, although another research programme suggested that Sangiovese may have been a parent of Ciliegiolo.
Whichever theory is correct, Ciliegiolo has been an essential part of the Tuscan landscape for centuries. Generally, it has been used as a minor addition to local wines and rarely been mentioned on labels.
The name means ‘Little Cherry’, probably because it produces wine with the aroma of cherries, along with scents of strawberries and a hint of spice.
It forms big bunches of rounded, juicy grapes, and its deep plum colour has been used for generations to add depth and flavour to a blend, where its low acidity and soft tannins can soften the style of some wines.
Now there is a trend for it to be bottled as a single variety and the area around Grosseto seems to be the best place to plant it.
Grosseto is part of the Maremma Toscana region, a stretch of Tuscan coast that includes the provinces of Livorno, Viterbo and Grosseto.
This is not a historic wine growing region, mainly because it used to be marshy and it took centuries to finally drain the area.
Its real claim to fame came in the 1940’s when the Marchese Incisa della Rocchetta decided to experiment with growing vines at his wife’s stud farm in Bolgheri.
Sassicaia was that wine, made by Giacomo Tachis who was head oenologist for Antinori, and it started the whole Super-Tuscan revolution.
The stony soil was reminiscent of the Médoc, and so Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc were planted, and the wine became a huge success.
Giacomo Tachis also worked on Ornellaia, again, using the classic Bordeaux grapes of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot and this, too, became a highly sought-after wine.
Suddenly this area that had been neglected became a most desirable piece of land and investment flooded in.
This coastal region, with its fresh sea breezes, warm sunshine and varying hillside aspects, gives a wide range of grapes the right growing conditions.
Soil types vary too, from light sandy soils to gravel, clay and even traces of volcanic activity.
Ciliegiolo is doing well here, carving out a niche with its fresh, light, lively flavours that can handle grilled duck and rare beef, but can also be chilled down to enjoy in sunshine.
Vermentino is another grape that is making Maremma Toscana its home.
This grape is widely grown, but in this coastal part of Tuscany it develops clear fresh, floral notes, with hints of white peach, lemon and lime crispness and a clarity of flavour that makes it a wine to enjoy with seafood.
It is at its best when planted on dry, shallow, sandy hills, especially close to the sea where it can feel the full force of the breeze.
Just south of Grosseto, in an area known as Scansano, another red grape is enjoying a surge in popularity. Known as Morellino, it is in fact Sangiovese, although it may be a special, local clone and in the warm coastal sunshine it develops different characteristics compared with the inland vineyards of Chianti Classico.
It is a super-charged Sangiovese, with fruity exuberance, rounded and easy to drink when young.
I tasted through hundreds of wines during my recent trip to Italy.
The main focus was Chianti Classico, but alongside those grand, structured elegant wines, I was impressed by some that come from the quieter, coastal part of Tuscany. Here are a few to try.
Ciliegiolo
Tenuta Aquilaia Ciliegiolo 2022, Maremma Toscana, Italy, Latitude Wines £16.50: Ripe cherry fruit with blackberry and plum flavours, soft tannins and a light, savoury finish. Great with charcuterie and grilled duck. Also available at Ake and Humphris.
Mazzei Tenuta Belguardo Ciliegiolo 2024, Maremma Toscana, Italy, £28 Petershamcellar.com: This wine shone out at the tasting, with juicy, silky cherry fruit and a dusting of spice. Not yet available in Yorkshire, so please will someone stock it?
Morellino
Morellino di Scansano Riserva Roggiano 2022, Tuscany, Italy, Waitrose £14: This comes from the Scansano co-operative, which brings together the fruit from 170 local producers.
This co-operative focusses on quality not quantity and they have earned the Sustainable Wine Certificate which monitors all elements of wine production from the land to water and people.
This wine has dark red berry fruit, with velvety tannins, and fresh acidity. It is a wine to pour alongside roast lamb or a beef lasagna.
Fattoria Le Pupille Morellino di Scansano 2023, Tuscany, Italy, Hic! £17.50: Wines from this estate were a real highlight and this Morellino is a delight with fresh, red cherry fruit aromas, clear, bright red berry flavours with gentle, easy tannins. This wine has 5% Ciliegiolo grapes, just adding its own character to the wine.
Morisfarms Morellino di Scansano 2022, Tuscany, Italy, Field and Fawcett £19.95: Another stand-out wine from the tasting, this combines the fresh, fragrant red cherry and blueberry flavours of the grape, with enough weight to partner a meaty pasta dish or a simple roast dinner. Savoury notes give this a delightful finish.
Vermentino
Tenuta Moraia Vermentino 2024, Maremma Toscana, Italy, Majestic £15 on a mix six deal: Delicate, lightly floral on the nose, this has citrus fruits, a touch of herbs and crunchy, almost crystalline minerals on the finish. Pure, elegant and refined. Team this with calamari or grilled fish.
Banfi La Pettegola Vermentino 2024, Toscana, Italy, Sainsbury £15: Grapes come from Banfi vineyards on the Tuscan coast, giving an aromatic, citrus-driven, ripe pear and peach style wine, perfect with shellfish.