Sangiovese is one of the most common vines in Italy (it is grown over 11% of the total national wine-growing surface area). Sangiovese is grown from Romagna all the way down to Campania and is traditionally the most popular grape variety in Tuscany. It is found in hundreds of blends, including some of the most prestigious wines in Italy and world-wide. The details of the history and origin of Sangiovese are not known. The earliest certain information dates back to the 16th century only, when Giovanni Vettorio Soderini mentions it in his treatise “La coltivazione delle viti” (The farming of grapevines) commenting that “Sangioveto is a remarkable vine due to its regular productivity.” There are also different theories to explain the origin of its peculiar name. According to some, the name derives from “sangiovannese”, or originating from the town of San Giovanni Valdarno, while others believe it is a dialect word for “san giovannina”, an early grape variety germinating on St. John the Baptist day at the end of June, while for others the name means “blood of Jupiter” (“sanguegiovese”), referring to the fact that it was originally grown on Mount Jove near Santarcangelo di Romagna.
The winemaking and sales base is ‘La Casina’ vineyard in the La Pila district, and two kilometers further north is ‘I Marmi’, a completely restructured farmhouse with a panoramic view overlooking the vines. The third farmhouse, ‘I Marta’, recently renovated, will soon produce white grapes. Cecilia Estate lies on the Etruscan Coast Wine Route.