Grape blend: 100% Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Acidity: 4.85 g/l
Residual sugars: 0.6 g/l
Mentions of Vernaccia are found as far back as the Middle Ages in the historical archives of the city of Siena, and today – maybe even more so! – it still fully lives up to its eight hundred years of history. An elegant wine, with a delicate bouquet, yet full-bodied. The weather in 2023 was odd on the hills at Castelvecchio; the vineyards that overlook the town of San Gimignano were affected by continuous rainfall in spring, then by scorching heat in summer. This influenced the development of the flowers first, and then of the grapes. The bunches, which were scarce but of good quality, were harvested in the second week of September and pressed straight away, right beside the vineyard. When the must reached the winery, it was immediately left to decant and then fermented slowly. In the following 3-4 months, regular bâtonnage preserved the aromatic complexity and allowed the yeasts to release polysaccharides, which give the wine greater sweetness and body.
Tasting – Colour: brilliant, strong straw-yellow. The nose: white-fleshed fruit, in particular Golden Delicious apple and pear, notes of almond and walnut. In the mouth: rounded, full-bodied and soft, mineral hints with a typically almondy aftertaste.
Wine and Food Pairing – With its sapidity, great freshness and robust structure, it can be paired with dishes from both “land and sea”; fatty fish, fried salt cod, pasta with shellfish, as well as white meat, squash ravioli with rabbit ragu, or lasagne with bell peppers. It’s also excellent with starters, cold cuts, fresh cheeses (as long as they’re not too salty), or even pecorino or carrot flans.