DELIVERY FROM £4.95
FREE DELIVERY FOR ORDERS OVER £100
The San Lunardo grape’s origins are not very precise. However, it is certain that it has been cultivated on the island of Ischia since 1700. It is believed that the name derives from a religious man who first selected this variety, naming it precisely “Don Lunardo”. Others believe that it comes from local patron saint, “San Leonardo”. The vineyards that contain this variety are becoming less and it is feared that in the future San Lunardo may completely vanish.
San Lunardo’s berry is white, small, short, rounded with skin of medium thickness, firm, and yellow-green colored. The bunch is medium, conical, winged, compact or very compact with a medium-large, pentagonal, five-lobed leaf.
Sangiovese is a red grape variety with ancient and uncertain origins, with the origin of the name even more uncertain. Sangiovese, Italy's most planted grape variety, is a grape that varies significantly its characteristics depending on the climate and altitude at which it is planted. The grape is found everywhere from north to south, but it is Tuscany, where it is used in no less than 25 different appellations, whether on its own or as part of a blend, that can considered its Italian home. The Sangiovese grape is also widely grown in Emilia Romagna and Umbria, the neighbouring regions.
Sangiovese has several clones or varieties, the Sangiovese grosso (big) traditionally used for powerful and slow maturing red wines such as the Brunello di Montalcino, and the Prugnolo Gentile grape used for the Nobile di Montepulciano. The other main clones are the Sangiovese Piccolo (small), used for the Chianti and the "Morellino", variety used in the production of Morellino di Scanzano, wine made in the southern part of Tuscany.
Tuscan grown Sangiovese’s flavours vary from dark fruit to spice, tobacco, leather and characteristics of its wines are marked tannins and high acidity, making it a perfect grape for ageing.
The Sangiovese grape has started to appear outside Italy, from California to Argentina to Australia, due to its adaptability, however, the results so far are mixed.
The Sangiovese grape, one of Italy’s most important and historic wine varieties, has ancient and somewhat mysterious origins. Its name is thought to derive from the Latin “Sanguis Jovis” - the blood of Jupiter - highlighting its long-standing reverence in Italian viticulture. Sangiovese exists in two primary forms: Sangiovese Grosso (meaning “large” in Italian) and Sangiovese Piccolo (“small”), each with distinct characteristics and regional identities.
Sangiovese Grosso, the larger-berried clone, is primarily cultivated in Tuscany, where it is used to produce some of Italy’s most prestigious and age-worthy wines. This noble grape is the foundation of Brunello di Montalcino, one of the country's most iconic red wines, known for its power, structure, and exceptional ageing potential. Sangiovese Grosso is also the genetic parent of several sub-varieties, including Prugnolo Gentile (used in Vino Nobile di Montepulciano) and Sangiovese di Lamole, both highly regarded for their elegance and aromatic complexity.
Unlike its smaller counterpart, which is widely planted throughout Tuscany and Central Italy, Sangiovese Grosso ripens late, requiring a warm and sunny climate to reach full maturity. When properly cultivated, it yields deeply colored, full-bodied wines with high acidity, firm tannins, and a complex aromatic profile. Flavours typically include ripe cherry, plum, dried herbs, earthy undertones, and hints of leather or tobacco with age.
Wines made from Sangiovese Grosso are celebrated for their structure, richness, and longevity, making them ideal candidates for cellaring. In fact, Brunello di Montalcino must legally be aged for several years before release, testament to the grape’s robust character and slow-developing beauty.
The Santa Maria grape is a variety present in the DOC Colli Piacentini in the version of “Vino santo”, “holy wine”, of which it is the main component together with the equally little known vine Melara.
It has been registered within the National Register of Grapevine Varieties since 1999, and it is an authorized variety of the Emilia-Romagna.
Santa Maria, or Saint Mary, has white berries of medium size, yellow-green colored skin of firm texture and neutral flavor. The cluster is small cylindrical or truncated cone, short, medium compact with small pentagonal, five-lobed leaves.
Sauvignon or Sauvignon Blanc, together with the Chardonnay, is possibly the most famous and widely planted white grape variety in the world and produce some of the most celebrated and loved white wines.
Sauvignon, which name derives from "sauvage" (wild in french), is a white wine grape variety of French origin, precisely the Bordeaux area and in particular, the Sauterne region, where together with the Semillon and the Muscadel produces the famous white wine.
Sauvignon is also related to Cabernet Sauvignon, being Cabernet Sauvignon a natural crossing of Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, and both have become two of the most widely planted grape varieties in the world.
Sauvignon is a relatively robust, vigorous vine that adapts to all kinds of soil and ripens early, hence its popularity. Other then France, Sauvignon has found an ideal home in New Zealand, in the Marlborough region, and in Italy, in the cool, sunny alpine slopes of Trentino Alto Adige and Friuli Venezia Giulia mainly, but there are individual winemakers growing the grape all over the north of Italy, usually producing great wines. Italian Sauvignon tends to be unaged and a few producers ferment the wine on its lees.
Sauvignon has at least two varieties, the Sauvignon small and yellow and the Sauvignon big and green, it is a semi aromatic variety that can be immediately recognised thanks to its characteristic nose of gooseberry and its zestiness.
Schiava, also known as Vernatsch, is a historic red grape variety primarily cultivated in Alto Adige, the northernmost part of Trentino-Alto Adige region. While its origins are believed to be Italian, the grape is also found across the border in Germany, where it is known as Trollinger, and in parts of Switzerland.
Traditionally, Schiava has been known for producing light-bodied red wines with fresh acidity, low tannins, and delicate aromas, making them easy-drinking and approachable in style. The grape is late-ripening, and the wines are typically enjoyed young, often showcasing notes of red berries, violets, and subtle almond undertones. It is also used in the production of rosé wines (locally called “Kretzer”), which are typically darker in colour than most rosés, but still crisp and refreshing.
For many years, Schiava was seen as a simple, everyday table wine, but that perception is rapidly changing. A new generation of winemakers in Alto Adige is reviving its potential by reclaiming old hillside vineyards, dramatically reducing yields, and focusing on quality over quantity. Through careful vineyard management and innovative winemaking techniques, they are producing elegant, complex, and age-worthy red wines that reflect the unique Alpine terroir.
These modern Schiava wines are gaining attention for their finesse and versatility, often compared to Pinot Noir in their structure and food-pairing potential. Light yet structured, fruity yet nuanced, they are proving that Schiava is capable of far more than it was once given credit for.
The Schioppettino grape is an ancient variety of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, whose origins date back to the Middle Ages, it was mentioned for the first time in 1282. The name Schioppettino comes from its ancient Friuli name, “Scopp”, which is attributable to the crunch of its berries or to the fact that its high acidity once provoked malolactic fermentation in the bottle, making the cap to pop off.
Following the burst of phylloxera, this grape variety had been set aside in favor of more productive varieties, but it has been rediscovered more recently along with other indigenous grape varieties from Friuli, such as Tazzelenghe or Pignolo.
Schioppettino has a black, medium, elliptical berry with very waxy, thick, large, blue-black color skin. Its bunch is large, cylindrical, elongated, simple or winged, medium compact with a medium or large, pentagonal, three-lobed of five-lobed leaf, the grape has a discreet vigor, vintage mid-late maturing. Its sensitivity to diseases and fungi causes a little regular production. .
Schioppettino produces wines with a purplish red color with intense scent, vinous and fruity notes, the palate is fresh and slightly tannic. The best examples of the wines, come from the Prepotto area.
Sciaglin is an ancient and rare white grape variety native to Friuli-Venezia Giulia, historically known since the 15th century in the hilly area around Spilimbergo. Its name likely derives from “schiavolino,” meaning “from Slavia,” referring to the lands beyond the Julian Alps. Another theory connects the name to “s'ciale” - Friulian for “terraces” - highlighting the hillside plots where the vine thrives best.
Today, Sciaglin is cultivated almost exclusively in the limited areas around Pinzano al Tagliamento and Castelnovo del Friuli, making it one of the region’s rarest and most distinctive native grapes.
The grape has medium-small, slightly oval white berries with a greenish, waxy skin, and forms medium-small pyramidal clusters, often with one or two wings. Though not widely planted, Sciaglin produces wines of remarkable personality and aromatic character.
Wines made from Sciaglin grapes are pale yellow in color and offer an intense yet delicate bouquet. The aromatic profile is unique, with floral and spicy notes of elderflower, acacia blossom, and yellow pepper. On the palate, Sciaglin is dry, warm, and full-bodied, with good acidity and long persistence, making it an excellent white wine choice for lovers of bold yet refined expressions.
The Sciascinoso grape is a red variety of uncertain origin, long cultivated in Campania, southern Italy. Its identity has often been confused with that of Olivella Nera, another black grape with a similarly shaped and colored berry. The name Olivella - used for various grape types - derives from the olive-like appearance of the berry: small, dark, and ovoid. This overlap has led to centuries of ambiguity.
Sciascinoso was officially entered into Italy’s National Registry of Vine Varieties in 1970, while Olivella Nera followed a year later. Historical documents concerning vine names from Campania almost exclusively mention Sciascinoso, sometimes with the note “locally known as Olivella.” Meanwhile, Olivella as a variety name appears more formally in the Frusinate IGT (Lazio) specifications, suggesting a separate or regional distinction.
Sciascinoso grapes are medium-small, ovoid black berries with firm, red-black skins. The bunch is medium-sized, conical, moderately compact, and often winged. The vine is known for medium vigor and medium-early ripening, making it manageable in the vineyard and reliable in harvest timing.
The resulting wine is intensely ruby red with purple reflections, offering vinous and fruit-driven aromas with notes of plum, cherry, and blueberry. On the palate, Sciascinoso is fresh, structured, and tannic, with good consistency and vibrant character - a true expression of Campania’s volcanic terroir.
The Scimiscià grape is a rare and ancient white variety native to Liguria. Once on the brink of extinction, it has been saved from oblivion thanks to the passion and dedication of a handful of local producers. Today, it survives in extremely limited quantities, cultivated almost exclusively in the Val Fontanabuona - a secluded valley in the province of Genoa, nestled in the inland hills behind Chiavari and Lavagna. In recognition of its cultural and viticultural value, Scimiscià was officially included among the recommended and authorized grape varieties for the Liguria region in 2003.
The name Scimiscià comes from the local dialect and means “cimiciato” or “spotted,” referring to the tiny dots that appear on the grape’s skin - a characteristic it shares with another Ligurian grape, Pigato (from picau, meaning speckled). The origins of Scimiscià remain shrouded in mystery, but it is widely believed to be an ancient variety, likely once more widespread across the region.
Scimiscià is a low-yielding grape with high sugar content, making it suitable for both dry and sweet winemaking styles. While primarily vinified into elegant dry white wines, some rare dessert wines made from Scimiscià demonstrate remarkable complexity and aromatic intensity.
Wines made from Scimiscià grapes are typically pale yellow with greenish hues, almost crystalline in appearance, and show excellent consistency in the glass. On the nose, they offer refined floral and fruity aromas, with notes of citrus, acacia blossom, and hints of wild herbs. The palate is warm, savory, and mineral, marked by a fine balance and harmonious structure - a true expression of Liguria’s unique terroir.
Before we say ciao, why not join our newsletter & stay up to date on everything happening on planet Italyabroad.com
0 
