Grape blend: Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Aged: 12 months in Tonneaux
Alcohol content: 13% vol
Acidity: 5.4 g/l
Residual sugars: 0.44 g/l
On the hillsides of Castelvecchio, not far from the beautiful Tuscan town of San Gimignano (and only in that area!), grows a noble grape variety that has been renowned and appreciated since medieval times – Vernaccia di San Gimignano. Here, in the tranquillity of a nature reserve, the breeze from the Mediterranean Sea encounters an exceptional terroir (thousands of years ago it was a seabed) which gives the wine sapidity, freshness and a saline touch that makes it instantly recognisable. In 2024, after a hot, dry summer, rainfall shortly before the harvest made the grapes swell considerably, making it necessary to harvest them rapidly. The bunches used for the Vernaccia Riserva grow in the highest part of the vineyard, where they are richer in aromas, which were preserved thanks to immediate pressing – at the edge of the field – and to the fact that the must was promptly refrigerated. After fermentation at 18 °C, the gross lees were removed and the fine ones kept in suspension, to enhance the aromatic complexity of the grapes. The wine aged in tonneaux containing 500 litres – only some of which were new – to achieve an optimal balance between its own structure and that imparted by the tannins from the wood.
Tasting – Colour: brilliant golden yellow. The nose: notes of pastries and vanilla, with hints of walnut and other nuts in general. In the mouth: velvety and silky on the palate, with soft alcohol balanced by freshness and, typical to Vernaccia, an almondy finish.
Wine and Food Pairing – It goes particularly well with dishes from the Mediterranean Sea, steamed shellfish, gilthead bream en papillote, spaghetti with mixed seafood or salt cod “alla Maremmana”. But it also pairs well with dishes “from the land”, linguine with basil pesto, rabbit with olives, or warm crostini with pecorino cheese and rosemary.