The New Year starts with the loss of one of Italy's most important consultants, Giulio Gambelli, who from the very beginning has been Sangiovese's main protagonist and staunch supporter. Sangiovese, Tuscany's most important grape variety, has seen a revival in recent years but it is not that long ago that it was considered nothing more than fodder for bulk wine and supermarkets. It is thanks to the likes of Gambelli, insisting all his working life on the inherent greatness of the variety, that Sangiove⁞se finally got the vineyard sites and respect it deserves.
The modern history of Sangiovese is closely...