Red grape variety
Ciliegiolo
A Tuscan variety closely related to Sangiovese, giving soft, cherry-scented wines.
What is Ciliegiolo?
Ciliegiolo produces softer, more overtly cherry-fruited wine than Sangiovese, and is increasingly bottled varietally in Maremma and Umbria.
Central Italy. The name derives from *ciliegia*, cherry.
The Vitis International Variety Catalogue, maintained by the Julius Kühn Institute, holds this variety as accession 2660 under the prime name CILIEGIOLO, with berry skin colour noir and country of origin italy, and the pedigree "MOSCATO VIOLETTO X SANGIOVESE". 26 synonyms are recorded. Checked 2026-08-17.
What it tastes like
This is the envelope across every expression of Ciliegiolo, not a description of one bottle. Wide ranges are the honest answer.
| Dimension | Typical | Range | Variation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweetness | low | Consistent | |
| Acidity | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Tannin | medium | Some variation | |
| Alcohol | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Body | medium | Some variation | |
| Fruit intensity | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Aromatic intensity | medium | Consistent | |
| Oak influence | low | Consistent | |
| Savoury character | low-medium | Consistent | |
| Floral character | low | Consistent | |
| Herbal / green character | low | Consistent | |
| Spice | low | Consistent | |
| Earthy character | low | Consistent | |
| Perceived freshness | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Texture | medium | Consistent |
Common flavours
Where it grows
- Tuscany — Italy
If you like Ciliegiolo, try…
Every suggestion says why it is connected and what will be different.
Closest matches
What is most like this?
Nerello Cappuccio
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Piedirosso
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be earthier.
Castelão
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be more savoury.
Similar but lighter
Something like this, but lighter?
Cinsault
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be more floral, and less tannic and softer.
Molinara
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and less tannic and softer.
Schiava
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be lighter, and more floral.
Similar but lower in alcohol
Something like this, but less alcoholic?
Cerasuolo di Vittoria
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be more floral, and more oaky.
Pinot Meunier
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be more floral, and less tannic and softer.
Molinara
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be lighter, and fresher and more acidic.
Similar but fuller
Something like this, but richer?
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be more oaky, and more savoury.
Montepulciano
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be more oaky, and more savoury.
Bonarda
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be more oaky, and broader and softer.
What to eat with it
Ranked by WineHQ's pairing engine, which reasons from the structure of the dish.
Fillet steak
Works because the finished dish, not the raw ingredient, sets the target.
Turkey
Works because the finished dish, not the raw ingredient, sets the target.
Tortilla española
Works because the dish is rich, and acidity cuts through fat and refreshes the palate.
Fresh cheese
Works because oak flavour overwhelms subtle food.
Gnocchi
Works because the dish is rich, and acidity cuts through fat and refreshes the palate.
Asparagus
Works because ripe fruit counterbalances bitterness where more bitterness would not.
What to avoid with it
Dishes the pairing engine scores badly, and the principle that explains why. A short list: most things are fine.
Salmon in a cream sauce
Noticeable tannin is a risk with fish even where the wine is otherwise a reasonable weight.
Tiramisu
A dry wine will taste thin and sour against a sweet dish.
Chicken tikka masala
A dry wine will taste thin and sour against a sweet dish.
Salmon
Noticeable tannin is a risk with fish even where the wine is otherwise a reasonable weight.
How to serve it
Temperature
14–16°C
57–61°F · Cellar cool
Most modern rooms are warmer than this. Twenty to thirty minutes in the fridge before serving usually gets a red into range.
Decanting
No need to decant
Nothing about this wine suggests it needs decanting. Light, aromatic and sparkling wines generally lose more than they gain.
Glass
Burgundy bowl
A wide bowl gives a delicate, aromatic red more surface area to release aroma, and directs it to the nose from a wider rim.
Ageing
Wines made from this grape are generally at their best within a few years.
Named for its cherry aroma, and that aroma is the reason to drink it early. Tuscan and Umbrian varietal bottlings are at their best within a few years; the grape is more often used to add immediate fruit to a Sangiovese blend.
Family tree
Parentage here is proposed rather than settled — see the note below.
Offspring
A parent–offspring relationship with Sangiovese is established; which is the parent has been debated.
Sources
Sources consulted
- Vitis International Variety Catalogue (VIVC) — Julius Kühn-Institut, Institute for Grapevine Breeding Geilweilerhof