Discover the Kingdom of Vernaccia di San Gimignano Through the Wine Preview “Anteprima  2022”

March 2022: The Tuscan Previews explore the charming hamlet of San Gimignano. The event was dedicated to Vernaccia di San Gimignano Docg 2021, Vernaccia di San Gimignano Docg Riserva 2020 and the wines of previous vintages that are yet to be released, all accompanied by an impeccable sommelier service. For the occasion, the consortium chose two principal venues: the De Grada Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art for the tasting of the seventy-six wines produced by thirty-five wineries and the Sala Dante in the Palazzo Comunale that will be the location of the 17th edition of the comparative technical-professional tasting series “White Wine and Its Territories”. A day in which the whole town of San Gimignano is coloured “gold” showing off the sense of belonging and sharing of this small piece of land.

2022 marks an important year: fifty years ago, a group of landowners and forward-looking producers gathered to organize a Consortium. The road was paved, and with every passing year, more awareness and determination are put in by the producers enhancing the path of success of the Vernaccia di San Gimignano. It is a place where man and nature have lived together for centuries in a mutual relationship of respect.  It is this indissoluble link to the theme of the tasting because San Gimignano has always been an example of the quality of life, professionalism, and know-how in terms of viticulture. Man brought art, culture and wrote its history, nature gave them the extraordinary Vernaccia Grape, a real “White Queen in the Land of Red Kings”. Surrounded by the city wall of San Gimignano every year professionals and wine lovers have the chance to taste the new vintages of wines made in this fascinating territory.

SAN GIMIGNANO, THE CRADLE OF THE WHITE WINE PRODUCTION IN TUSCANY 

San Gimignano is a small town of Siena, rich in charm and history. The village of San Gimignano is located almost halfway between Florence and Siena (about 60 and 45 km) and is easily reachable by car or a bus. It is a territory situated completely on hills with altitudes of between 200 and 400 m above sea level. The soils are of the Pliocene era, dating back to between 6.8 and 1.8 million years. And it is certainly the composition of the ancient soil that makes the wines produced in this denomination extremely fascinating and complex. The terroir of this area is characterized by the presence of fossils and shells, it is composed of Pliocene soil and clay. These extremely calcareous sediments make the soil ideal to create vigorous and mineral white wines. The surface area of the Municipality of San Gimignano is about 12,500 hectares, 5,600 of which are destined to farm productions (vineyards, olive groves, cereal crops). The San Gimignano hills present variable exposures, altitudes, soil compositions and availability of water, the multiple and sometimes unique combinations of these single factors have, even in such a small area, a significant impact on the characteristics of the wines produced there.

San Gimignano, A Magical Wine Destination 

San Gimignano is definitely a destination worth discovering and visiting. Hidden in the Tuscan countryside, the small “town of the towers” is completely integrated into the gentle nature surrounding it. It is a land characterised by a long farming tradition that dates back to the middle of the 13th century, a place where the experience of wine blends with the history of man on its rolling hills. San Gimignano was a place loved by important nobles and political figures of the past who left the trace of their passage, enriching this unique place with culture and art.

The city of San Gimignano in the first centuries after 1000 AD was embellished with seventy towers and numerous palaces, built by the many wealthy families to display their wealth and power. Still today, fourteen beautiful towers remain to characterize the city centre and making the unique and recognizable silhouette on the crowned hill.

TASTING REPORT 

During my stay at San Gimignano, I have blind tasted all the wines, majestically presented by the Consorzio del Vino Vernaccia di San Gimignano.

Vernaccia di San Gimignano Docg 2021 (40 wines reviewed)

on my radar

Winery:  Fornacelle  

Wine:   Vernaccia di San Gimignano Docg 2021

Pale yellow core with greenish hues. The nose is fresh and fruity with scents of lemon and apricot. Vibrant entrance with medium alcohol. Dry with good acidity and a fruity finish. Lovely wine.

Winery:  Casale Falchini  

Wine:   Vernaccia di San Gimignano Docg 2021 –  Benozzo   

Pale straw core with a watery rim. Intense flavour of ginger with scent of apricot.

Dry, fragrant palate with good acidity. Rich and elegant aftertaste. I enjoy it!

Winery:  Guicciardini Strozzi  

Wine:   Vernaccia di San Gimignano Docg 2021 –  Villa Cusona

Brilliant, deep yellow colour. Intense bouquet of lemon and jasmine flowers with a hint of mint. Fragrant entrance, round with ripe fruit and good acidity.  Well structured, mineral and complex.  I like it very much.

Winery:  Fattoria di Fugnano  

Wine:   Vernaccia di San Gimignano Docg 2021 – Da Fugnano 

Medium yellow core with light hues. The wine displays an intense perfume white grapefruit, and lemon with a light note of mint. Dry, sapid, and intense with lively acidity. Well balanced and harmonious. An excellent wine.

Winery:  Tenuta Le Cancinaie

Wine:   Vernaccia di San Gimignano Docg 2021

Straw coloured with paler rim. Pronounced flavour of pineapple with peachy overtones. Vibrant entrance with medium alcohol. The mouth is intense and fresh with racy acidity. Quite a long finish. A very good wine!

Winery:  La Lastra 

Wine:   Vernaccia di San Gimignano Docg 2021

Brilliant, yellow colour. Intense bouquet of lemon and jasmine flowers with a hint of petrol. Fragrant entrance, round with ripe fruit and high acidity. Well-structured, mineral, and quite complex. I really like it!

Vernaccia di San Gimignano Docg 2020 (12 wines reviewed)

on my radar

Winery:  Montenidoli   

Wine:   Vernaccia di San Gimignano Docg 2020 – Fiore 

Pale yellow core with greenish hues. The bouquet is intense and ample with notes of grapefruit and apricot with scents of ginger. Dry with good acidity and a fruity, long finish with pleasant light notes of almond. A great wine.

Winery:  Panizzi 

Wine:   Vernaccia di San Gimignano Docg 2020 – Vigna Santa Margherita  

Yellow core, lighter on the edge. Intense flavour of citrus fruit and green apple with light floral notes. Dry with lovely acidity which matches a good alcohol level. The aftertaste is persistent A fine, charming wine!

Winery:  Cesani 

Wine:   Vernaccia di San Gimignano Docg 2020 – Clamys 

Straw yellow core. The wine expresses a beautiful bouquet of lime and orange peel with overtones of thyme. Fresh, balanced palate with good persistence. The acidity matches well with the fruit. A delicious wine!

Vernaccia di San Gimignano Docg 2020 Riserva (4 wines reviewed).

on my radar

Winery:  Signano     

Wine:   Vernaccia di San Gimignano Docg 2020 Riserva – La Ginestra

Clean with a beautiful nose of apricot and mango with flowery overtones and a hint of almond. Medium body with crispy acidity and lovely sapidity. The alcohol is well balanced with the fruit, elegant aftertaste. A fine wine with aging potential.

Vernaccia di San Gimignano Docg 2019 Riserva (10 wines reviewed).

on my radar

Winery:  Cappella Sant’Andrea  

Wine:   Vernaccia di San Gimignano Docg 2019 Riserva – Prima Luce

Clear gold yellow core with paler reflections. Intriguing nose with flavour of pear and matured fruit with a hint of almond. Lovely, creamy palate with present acidity and good persistence. Lovely wine.

Winery:  Il Colombaio di Santa Chiara   

Wine:   Vernaccia di San Gimignano Docg 2019 Riserva – L’albereta 

Medium yellow core with paler rims. It expresses nice aromas of lemon and peach mixed with light notes of acacia. It is vibrant and structured to the palate with harmonious and fresh finish. Good aging potential.