The Sangiovese grape originated in southern Italy.
Answer: True.
Amazingly enough, and despite its strong association with Tuscany, Sangiovese originated in southern Italy. Its parents are the Calabrian (southern Italian) grape variety Calabrese di Montenuovo and Ciliegiolo a variety cultivated all over Italy (the name Ciliegiolo means “small cherry”). For its part, the word Sangiovese is thought to derive from the Latin sanguis Jovis—”the blood of Jupiter.”