Sangiovese is one of the most important grape varieties in Italy. This is not an overstatement: It forms the backbone of Chianti, which can include other varieties but is dominated by Sangiovese. Brunello di Montalcino is entirely Sangiovese by law (and more often than not a clone of the variety called Sangiovese Grosso).

And Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is synonymous with, you guessed it, Sangiovese. It also shows up in other wines throughout Italy — it's the most widely planted variety in the entire country — though Tuscany is its center of gravity. It's also grown in other countries around the world, but those expressions of Sangiovese generally don't get the same attention as the grape's Italian incarnation.