History
Although the earliest documented record of Sangiovese usage in Italy goes back to the 1500s, its name is derived from the Latin words sanguis Jovis, meaning "the blood of Jove," aka the Roman god Jupiter. Hence, the common theory is that the cultivar, or at least some variation of it, may have been grown in Italy either by the Romans or the Etruscans before them. Sangiovese has been genetically traced back to two grapes as its “parents”. Recent DNA profiling by José Vouillamoz of the Istituto Agrario di San Michele all’Adige suggests that Sangiovese’s ancestors are Ciliegiolo and Calabrese Montenuovo. The former is well-known as an ancient variety in Tuscany, the latter is an almost-extinct variety from Calabria, the “toe” of Italy.
California Sangiovese Timeline
Italian immigrants brought Sangiovese to California, likely first to the Segheshio Family's "Chianti Station," near Geyserville.
Sonoma County's legendary Italian Swiss Colony winery made its Tipo Chianti with a base of Sangiovese from vines imported in the 1880s from Italy. Tipo, in the straw-covered, squat bottle, was a top seller nationwide for decades. (Source: https://www.amazon.com/Sonoma-Wine-Story-Buena-Vista/dp/1935879847)
About a dozen Sangiovese cuttings were brought to California by the Prince di Napoli-Rampolla. They were reportedly obtained from the Il Poggione Estate at Montalcino (Source: https://www.caparone.com/historyitalian)
The “Cal-Ital'' movement takes hold (i.e., a California take on Italian varieties) with Sangiovese, the most visible variety, seeing a boost. Sangiovese plantings peak towards the end of the decade at around 1,214 ha/3,000 acres.
Piero Antinori and a series of investors sought a site in Napa Valley for grapes, eventually settling on a plot in the now-Atlas Peak AVA. In 1987, they planted some Sangiovese, expanded in 1990 to around 50 ha/120 acres. Some 10 years later, most of it was pulled out; the present winery (Antica Napa) now focuses on Cabernet Sauvignon.
Sangiovese plantings stood at 573 ha/1,415 acres (563 ha/1,392 acres bearing and 9 ha/23 acres non-bearing) through year-end 2021, representing 0.31% of total vineyard plantings of all California wine grapes.