Best Sangiovese Food Pairings: 12 Foods to Pair

We often highlight infographics on food and wine pairing but it’s rare to see one that focuses directly on one wine.

This infographic from Dievole looks at the Tuscan Sangiovese wine and some of the great Tuscan dishes it pairs with.

It’s a dry red wine with a strong, fruity and earthy aroma and the dishes have each been suggested to match well with these qualities.

Strong Tuscan pecorino cheese, game meats, steak and gnocchi with sage and butter sauce are just a few of the dishes listed.

Sangiovese and Fiorentina steak

Let a good glass of Sangiovese stand up to the might of arguably the best steak Italy has to offer. A juicy, succulent and flavourful grilled Fiorentina steak served on the bone. 

Learn how to cook the perfect Fiorentina steak in the capable hands of Italian master butcher Dario Cecchini.

If you’re looking for a little more variety with your meats, then Sangiovese also pairs well with lamb chops and roasted pork.

Sangiovese and Prosciutto and Tuscan salami

Fancy a taste of Tuscany for aperitivo time? Try a glass of sangiovese with a platter of Italian dry-cured ham and artisanal Tuscan salami for a match made in heaven.

Pasta with meat sauce

Pop open a bottle of sangiovese and serve with a comforting bowl of ragu alla bolognese for a mid-week treat.

Watch Michelin chefs make ragù alla bolognese.

Sangiovese and Tuscan soup

Let this hearty bean and vegetable soup sing when paired with a glass of fruity sangiovese.

Learn more about the typical Tuscan soup Ribollita

Sangiovese and Tuscan pecorino

Wine and cheese reaches new heights when this firm-textured ewe’s milk cheese meets a friendly glass of sangiovese.

Discover ten traditional dishes to try from Tuscany.

Here are even more delicious Sangiovese and food pairings to discover:

Tuscan Sangiovese food pairing infographic

All about Sangiovese

Sangiovese is one of Italy’s best-known red grapes and is used as the basis for both Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino. Its name comes from the Latin sanguis Jovis or “blood of Jupiter”. The sangiovese growing season is long and its buds can be slow to ripen. Harvesting in Italy often takes place in mid-late October. This high-acidity grape is grown primarily in Central Italy, in Tuscany in particular, but it now also thrives in New World locations such as California and Argentina.

You don’t have to be a carnivore to enjoy sampling a glass of sangiovese with your food. This red wine also goes well with grilled vegetables (both on a pizza or as a side dish) and with red chicory topped with shavings of aged pecorino cheese packed with plenty of umami.