The Ciliegiolo Grape

(Synonyms: Albana Nera, Brunellone, Canaiolo Romano, Ciliegino, Ciliegiolo di Spagna, Mazzèse, Riminese, Nero, Sangiovese Polveroso)

Background

Ciliegiolo is a red-wine grape originating in Italy (occasional suggestions of an ultimate Spanish origin seem erroneous, based on DNA analyses). Nowadays it is grown mainly in the provinces of Tuscany and Umbria, though Sicily also has nontrivial plantings. There is a definte relation between Ciliegiolo and Sangiovese, but which is an offspring of the other is not yet settled.

The single word most often heard in connection with Ciliegiolo is "cherry", as to look, smell, and taste (and even grape size and shape); indeed, the Italian word for cherry is ciliegio, whence the wine’s name. It can be (and is) vinified is quite a range of styles, from light and easy to big and complex. Because it is a somewhat low-acid wine (and low-alcohol as well), it does not need or want much in the way of bottle aging; but, even though drinkable young, it has strength of character and real interest. The type is also sometimes made as a rosé, and is said to present very well.

Opinion seems to be that the best modern Ciliegiolo comes from the Maremma region of Tuscany, and those are the wines worth looking for.

Factoid: the dispute over whether Sangiovese is parent or offspring remains rather hot; the Fringe Wine blog has a good summary.

Some Descriptions of Ciliegiolo Wines

Wikipedia
“Ciliegiolo is a variety of red wine grape from Italy, named after the Italian for ‘cherry’. It is a minor component of traditional blends such as Chianti, but interest has revived in recent years. In Umbria it is made into a light quaffing wine, while in Tuscany it is made into a bigger, more structured style.”
Vino in Love
“The grape used to be a blending partner in many Chianti wines but because Ciliegiolo is difficult to grow more and more wineries decide not to cultivate it anymore. The wineries that take the effort to make a varietal wine out of Ciliegiolo are rewarded with a big, well-structured wine. Unfortunately the strict Tuscan wine laws have somehow forgotten about Ciliegiolo. In other words: There is not even one DOC/DOCG appellation that permits wineries to produce a Ciliegiolo varietal wine. Therefore these wines are classified as IGT.”
Wine Searcher
“Ciliegiolo is a red grape variety of central and north-western Italy, something of an obscurity in recent decades but now undergoing a renaissance in Liguria and its spiritual home, Tuscany. It is now used increasingly in the red wines of several western Italian DOCs [appellations] . . . The grape’s name comes from an Italian word for ‘cherry’, a fruit which Ciliegiolo wines resemble both in color and aroma. It is this character which has prompted the vine’s renaissance, as the variety brings a certain freshness and lively character to otherwise heavy wines. In a world which increasingly demands early-drinking wines but which are nonetheless full of character, Ciliegiolo grapes have provided an excellent addition to wines that would otherwise need cellaring.”
Understanding Wines
“[Ciliegiolo] is a grape on the rise not only for blending but also for pure varietal bottling showing much promise, especially in the Southern Maremma. The name derives from the word for cherry in Italian, ciliegi, and when tasting the wine one can immediately see why.…[T]he grape is intense with its cherry flavors and color in fact, and has a softness to it that can blend well with Sangiovese based wines.”
Tar and Roses
“The wine is ruby red, robust, with low alcohol content, fruity and has low acidity.”
Compagnia del Vino
“It has been cultivated in Maremma for almost 170 years, and here it has found an ideal habitat. It takes its name from its big berries (cherry’shape) and its intense colour and typical aroma of ripe cherries. Ciliegiolo is popular in Maremma but extremely rare in the rest of Italy; till few years ago this varietal was primarily used as a lesser blending grape with Sangiovese in a few Super Tuscans.”
Petersham Cellar
“Ciliegiolo is a red grape variety with large, sweet, fragrant berries. It is grown mostly in the Liguria, Tuscany, and Umbria regions of northern and central Italy. As the name suggests [it derives from the word for "cherry"], it is often used on the Tuscany coast to make bright, cherry-scented varietal wines. Currently, Ciliegiolo is cultivated almost exclusively in Umbria and Tuscany, though the two regions give distinctly different wines. The Ciliegiolo of Umbria, grown in an inland area with a somewhat cool, continental climate, is a light, fruity wine meant to be drunk young. In Tuscany, in contrast, beginning with vintages at the end of the 1980’s, a warmer, more maritime climate and a more ambitious winemaking philosophy have produced startlingly different results. These have come principally from the Maremma, the coastal area of the region in the province of Grosseto. Ciliegiolo is not an easy grape to grow, suffering at times from shatter. The grape is medium-large and roundish, the skin has a purple-black color and produces a rather abundant amount of pruina. The wine is ruby red, robust, with low alcohol content, fruity and has low acidity.”
Tutovino
“The must produces excellent wines and is excellent in Sangiovese blends, thanks to its softness. The wine is ruby red, robust, with low alcohol content, fruity and has low acidity, thus is used mostly in blends, such as the DOC wines Parrina, Colli Lucchesi, Chianti, Chianti Classico, Colli di Luni and Golfo del Tigulio.”
avvinare
“Ciliegiolo is usually used as a part of a blend and brings color (ruby red), structure, alcohol and fruit aromas and flavors to the table. What it lacks though is acidity, an essential component in a wine and one that makes it pair well with food. It should be blended with other grapes that have more acidity and less alcohol. Novello, Italy’s version of Beaujolais Nouveau, is often made from this grape variety. While it is mostly used in blends, some are experimenting and making it into a pure varietal wine.”
Wine Making talk
“Ciliegiolo is a variety of red wine grape native to the Tuscan region of Italy, named after the Italian ciliegi for ‘cherry’, and when tasting the wine one can immediately see why. . . The Ciliegiolo grape is intense with its cherry flavors and color in fact, and has a softness to it that can blend well with Sangiovese based wines. Ciliegiolo grapes are on the rise not only for blending but also for pure varietal bottling showing much promise, especially in the Southern Maremma. In Umbria it is made into a light quaffing wine, in Tuscany it is made into a bigger, more structured style. Currently, Ciliegiolo is cultivated almost exclusively in Umbria and Tuscany, though the two regions give distinctly different wines. The Ciliegiolo of Umbria, grown in an inland area with a somewhat cool, continental climate, is a light, fruity wine meant to be drunk young. In Tuscany, in contrast, beginning with vintages at the end of the 1980’s, a warmer, more maritime climate and a more ambitious winemaking philosophy have produced startlingly different results. These have come principally from the Maremma, the coastal area of the region in the province of Grosseto.”
Le Tre Stelle
“The result is an elegant wine whose most important feature is, in addition to its deep ruby colour with violet glints, the rich sweet cherry-flavoured taste that is enriched by strong aromas of morello cherry, prune and redcurrant/bilberry jam due to its ageing in wooden casks.”

Some Ciliegiolos to Try

For monovarietal Ciliegiolos, the choices (in the U.S.) are very few. Here are all we could find with even moderate retail distribution.

For a Splurge

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This page was last modified on Saturday, 30 October 2021, at 11:26 pm Pacific Time.

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