Perfect Pairings & Recipes for
Sangiovese

Discover the best flavour pairings for Sangiovese based on data analysis of thousands of recipes. Find perfect ingredient matches & delicious recipes.

Sangiovese immediately conjures the evocative embrace of cherry and the bracing kiss of tannin. But look beneath its obvious sourness and you'll discover a captivating symphony of softer notes, a whisper of tobacco, a hint of rancio, and subtle accents reminiscent of barnyard. These are the notes that lend it such remarkable, resonant depth. The key to finding the perfect pairing for Sangiovese is understanding how these notes harmonise.

To illuminate these harmonies, we embarked on an ambitious journey, analysing thousands of ingredients. Each was meticulously deconstructed across 150 distinct flavour dimensions, allowing us to pinpoint precisely which notes complement in both classic and unexpected ways. Our analysis reveals, for example, how baharat's cinnamonic tones infuse with Sangiovese, and how clove's eugenolic notes create a surprising synergy with its juicy sweetness.

An ingredient's flavour profile is determined by its core characteristics (e.g. acidic, herbal, and floral) enhanced by layers of subtle aroma notes (outer bars). When pairing ingredients, aim for a mix of core traits to build balance, and select complementary aroma notes to create harmony.

Unlocking Flavour Combinations

To understand how flavour notes harmonise, we analysed more than 50,000 popular ingredient combinations. By exploring these pairings, we identified specific flavour notes that frequently occur together, indicating they share a harmonious relationship.

The Flavours That Harmonise With Cherry Notes

Our analysis reveals a strong connection between cherry and clove flavours. Since Sangiovese has a distinct cherry-like flavour, try pairing it with the clove-like flavours of clove.

The recipes below provide inspiration for pairing Sangiovese with clove.

Harmonious Flavours Of Sangiovese

Just as our statistical analysis showed that cherry and clove-like flavours harmonise well, we can identify the full profile of flavours that harmonise with each of the flavours present in Sangiovese. E.g. the tannic flavours of Sangiovese are often used with mouldy and burnt flavours.

The aroma notes linked to the various accents of Sangiovese can be seen highlighted in the pink bars below.

Matching Flavour Profiles

The flavour profile of baharat offers many of the aroma notes complementary to Sangiovese, including cinnamon and clove aroma notes. Because the flavour profile of baharat has many of the of the features that are complementary to Sangiovese, they are likely to pair very well together.

The chart above shows the unique profile of baharat across 150 dimensions of flavour, while the recipes below offer inspiration for bringing these flavours together with Sangiovese.

Recipes That Pair Sangiovese With Baharat

Linked Flavour Notes

Looking at the notes that are most strongly associated with the various flavours of Sangiovese, we can identify other ingredients that are likely to pair well.

The left side of the chart above highlights the aroma notes of Sangiovese, along with the complementary aromas associated with each note. While the right side shows some of the ingredients that share many of the aroma accents complementary to Sangiovese.

Which Cheese Go With Sangiovese?

Choose cheese that infuse with its bitterness or ground its golden sweetness. Gouda and gruyère offer vibrant, clean counterpoints, their verdant freshness lifting the palate. Sheep's cheese add a gentle, oniony brightness, while brie introduces a sophisticated, anise-tinged elegance.

Alternatively, embrace cheese that harmonise with Sangiovese's greenness. The addition of feta, with its subtle saline notes, can complement the tomato beautifully, while blue cheese lends a salty character.

How Flavonomics Works

We've pioneered a unique, data-driven approach to decode the intricate art of flavour pairing. Our goal is to move beyond intuition and uncover the science of why certain ingredients harmonise beautifully. This rigorous methodology allows us to provide you with insightful and reliable pairing recommendations.

Our analysis begins with over 50,000 carefully selected recipes from acclaimed chefs like Galton Blackiston, Marcello Tully, and Pierre Lambinon. This premium dataset ensures our model distils genuine culinary excellence and creativity.

Each ingredient from these recipes is deconstructed across 150 distinct flavour dimensions, creating a unique numerical "flavour fingerprint." This quantification allows us to apply advanced analytical methods to identify complex patterns between flavour notes.

We identify popular ingredient combinations that frequently appear in our recipe database. Regression analysis is then performed on these pairings to statistically validate and pinpoint truly harmonious flavours.

These insights drive our predictive model, which allows us to take any ingredient (e.g., Sangiovese), analyse its detailed flavour profile, and accurately reveal its complementary flavours and perfect ingredient partners.