Ciliegiolo is a red wine grape variety native toItaly. Maurizio Castelli (Enogea) describes Ciliegiolo as giving ‘musts of good fruit and immediate, direct wines; it tends, however, to show excessive vigour in youth. Old vines are worth the wait for the best wines. Castelli told me (Jan 2021) that ‘Ciliegiolo likes the sea, hence the best examples of it from Tuscany are from the Maremma and the Scansano area.’
The name: Ciliegiolo translates as ‘small cherry’. This refers to both the appearance of the grape’s berries and the finished wine, both of which are reminiscent of cherries.
Origin: Ciliegiolo appears to be either the parent or off spring of Sangiovese. Both varieties are often mistaken for each other in inter-planted vineyards.
Synonyms: Erroneous synonyms for Ciliegiolo include Alicante di Spagna and Aleatico di Spagna, as well as Brunellone and Sangiovese Forte, both of which are separate varieties (Sanforte in the case of Sangiovese Forte).
Where grown: Tuscany. Also found in Lazio, Liguria, Marche (‘Morettone’), Puglia and Umbria.
Site selection: Ciliegiolo can handle warmer areas like Tuscany’s Maremma (see Maremma Toscana DOC), it is even better slightly further inland where it is cooler. It is also found in, but generally less adapted to Chianti Classico. Liguria is said to provide slightly more herbal examples.
Wine style: Bright, red cherry notes, with raspberry and violet. Medium bodied. Early bottled ‘novello’ examples are seen to be less successful.
Wineries
Certified organic: Cesani (San Gimignano, Tuscany). | La Selva (Maremma, Tuscany).
Bibliography
Bill Nesto MW & Frances Di Savino, Chianti Classico, the Search for Tuscany’s Noblest Wine, (University of California Press, 2016).
Maurizio Castelli, Enogea, ‘Maurizio Castelli, il sangiovese e il Chianti Classico. Intevista vintage,’ interview 21 January 2014 by Francesco Falcone for Enogea (enogea.it).
Oxford Companion to Wine 4th edition ed. Jancis Robinson MW and Julia Harding MW (Oxford University Press, 2015).