Canaiolo Wine: Grape, Styles, 10 Best Bottles (2024)

Canaiolo (or Canaiolo Nero) is a red wine grape grown widely in Central Italy, mainly in Tuscany. Interestingly, this fine grape has also established itself in Australia’s King Valley wine region.

The grape is resistant to most vine diseases and is one of the key varieties used in the Chianti blend. 

It produces delicious wines with succulent red fruit flavors and dried spice notes.

Let’s discover Canaiolo in detail - the grape’s unique traits, Canaiolo wine styles and characteristics, 10 best bottles to buy now, food pairings, and wine regions.

What Makes Canaiolo Grapes Unique? 

The black-skinned Canaiolo grape variety has played a vital role in developing the Chianti wine industry. 

Before introducing temperature-controlled fermentation vessels, winemakers struggled to produce wines during cold seasons. When temperatures plummeted, this would halt fermentation and disrupt wine production.

Chianti winemakers realized that adding semi-dried Canaiolo Nero grape varieties to the must could help. When added to the grape juice, Canaiolo’s extra sugar keeps the yeast active and helps resume fermentation.

Canaiolo is suitable for this technique because of its resistance to rotting during the semi-drying process.

Canaiolo is a critical blending grape whose popular usage is in the production of Sangiovese-based wines. A small amount of this grape is usually added when producing San Gimignano DOC, Chianti Classico, and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano wines.   

So, what are the characteristics of Canaiolo wines? 

Canaiolo Wine Styles and Characteristics 

Here are the different Canaiolo wine styles and their characteristics:

• Red Wines: The Canaiolo grape variety makes mellow, fruity red wines with remarkable acidity, floral aromas, gentle tannins, and lingering red fruit notes.
• White Wines: Canaiolo white wines are produced from the thick-skinned Canaiolo Bianco white grape. The wines have a straw yellow color, incredible freshness, and floral aromas.

10 Best Canaiolo Wine Bottles You Should Try

Here are our top Canaiolo wine picks for 2024:

1. 2009 Bibi Graetz Testamatta Canaiolo Toscana IGT 
2. 2006 Terenzuola Merla della Miniera Canaiolo Toscana IGT 
3. 2012 Ottomani Canaiolo Toscana IGT
4. 2013 Castello della Paneretta Canaiolo Toscana IGT
5. 2020 Azienda Agricola Possa 'U Neigru' Rosso
6. 2017 Sono Montenidoli 'Canaiulo' Rose Toscana IGT
7. 2018 Poderi del Paradiso 'Rosa del Paradiso' Rosato Toscana IGT
8. 2018 Vallone di Cecione Canaiolo Toscana IGT
9. 2019 Ormanni Canaiolo Toscana IGT
10. 2017 Conti Capponi Villa Calcinaia Rosato dei Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT

1. 2009 Bibi Graetz Testamatta Canaiolo Toscana IGT ($140)

An incredible red wine with dried cherry and plum flavors, an earthy aroma, medium acidity, and gentle tannins.

2. 2006 Terenzuola Merla della Miniera Canaiolo Toscana IGT ($112)

A delicious wine with gentle tannins, crisp minerality, earthy notes, rich fruitiness, and red fruit flavors of cherry and strawberries.  

3. 2012 Ottomani Canaiolo Toscana IGT ($65)

This elegant, dark ruby-red Canaiolo wine packs rich fruitiness, a smooth finish, and intense citrus aromas that boast plenty of red fruit, wood, herbs, and spice notes. 

4. 2013 Castello della Paneretta Canaiolo Toscana IGT ($61)

This stunning Canaiolo Nero wine bottle opens with fresh acidity, a red fruit flavor, and a cherry aroma with notes of olive trees, rich leather, violet, and tobacco. 

5. 2020 Azienda Agricola Possa 'U Neigru' Rosso ($32)

A delicious red wine with crunchy black cherry notes, incredible softness, a robust floral nose, and a bitter, chocolate finish. 

6. 2017 Sono Montenidoli 'Canaiulo' Rose Toscana IGT ($25)

This Italian wine bottle opens with a dry mouthfeel, remarkable minerality, and a tropical fruit flavor with a small amount of herbs and plum notes.  

7. 2018 Poderi del Paradiso 'Rosa del Paradiso' Rosato Toscana IGT ($24)

A lovely dry rose wine packed with pleasant acidity, rich fruitiness, red berry flavors, and a red flower aroma with olive trees, spice, and violet notes. 

8. 2018 Vallone di Cecione Canaiolo Toscana IGT ($21)

This well-balanced Italian wine has remarkable softness, fruity and spice notes, moderate acidity, and round tannins. 

9. 2019 Ormanni Canaiolo Toscana IGT ($19)

A light and smooth wine with incredible sweetness, a red berry flavor, and a nettle flower aroma with plenty of violet, spice, and plum notes. 

10. 2017 Conti Capponi Villa Calcinaia Rosato dei Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT ($11)

A beautiful, medium-bodied dry red wine with gentle acidity, tropical fruit aromas, and a tart cherry flavor with herbs and strawberry notes.  

Food Pairings With Canaiolo Wines

Canaiolo wines are delightful treats that complement various dishes. Pair these wines with pasta, beef, steak, lamb, veal, cured meat, and aged cheese.

Canaiolo Wine Regions

Here are the main Canaiolo wine regions spread across Italy and parts of Australia:

A. Italy 

Canaiolo vine plantings are mainly found in the best vineyards in central Italy. Here are the famous Italian wine regions where these vines are planted: 

• Tuscany: The Canaiolo grape variety is native to the Tuscany region. Canaiolo wines produced by Tuscan winemakers boast pleasant acidity, floral aromas, and a dry mouthfeel. 
• Umbria: The Canaiolo grape grown in Umbria’s vineyards is called Drupeggio. It’s a thick-skinned white grape variety that produces wines with white flower aromas, tropical fruit notes, and crisp minerality. 
• Lazio: The Lazio region grows more than 200 grape varieties, and Canaiolo is one of its finest red varieties. Canaiolo wines from Lazio have red fruit flavors, moderate acidity, and incredible freshness.
• Marche: Marche is famous for producing white wines from the fruit of Trebbiano and Verdicchio vines. However, the region also makes a few Canaiolo wines that boast exotic fruit aromas, fresh acidity, and crisp freshness.
• Sardinia: This region is famous for producing Malvasia and Vermentino wines. However, a few winemakers from the area use the Canaiolo Nero grape to produce soft, full-bodied wines with juicy acidity. 

B. Australia 

Australia also grows limited quantities of the Canaiolo vine in the King Valley region. 

The country’s most popular Canaiolo is the Pizzini Canaiolo - a remarkable red wine that offers fruity aromas, a creamy-textured palate, and refined tannins. 

Canaiolo Wine: A Rare Red To Enjoy Anytime!

The Canaiolo grape creates exceptional wines that match perfectly with various dishes. However, Canaiolo wines aren’t age-worthy, so they’re best enjoyed young.  

Also, these wines aren’t ideal for long-term investment. 

If you’d like to invest in the world’s finest wines, check out the Vinovest website. It helps you easily order, store, and sell investment-worthy Chianti wine,Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and other authentic wines from across the globe.