Tasting Vernaccia di San Gimignano wines should be number one on any wine lover’s list because no other Italian wine can boast such a long history.
Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG
“Bacia, lecca, morde, picca, punge” (kisses, licks, bites, pinches, and stings). This is how Michelangelo Buonarroti described the wine from this region.
The earliest recorded mentions of Vernaccia di San Gimignano date back to the thirteenth century. Its history merges with the history of the town of San Gimignano – a significant wine production place during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
Vernaccia di San Gimignano wine has been well-known and loved by all Italian and European aristocracy.
Nowadays, the wine in this region can be made from white grapes grown exclusively in the Municipality of San Gimignano, with a minimum of 85% up to 100% Vernaccia di San Gimignano grapes. The Vernaccia of San Gimignano was the very first Italian wine to be granted the “Name of Origin” in 1966. In 1993, it entered the highest level of quality, the Controlled and Guaranteed Name of Origin or DOCG.
Comparing Two Producers: Tasting Notes
We chose two examples of Vernaccia di San Gimignano produced by two different wineries: Falchini and Teruzzi.
Falchini Vigna a Solatio 2021
Falchini Vigna a Solatio 2021 is produced from the Solatìo vineyard at Casale in San Gimignano. This sunny-side vineyard, or in Tuscan “Vigna a Solatìo,” is the highest elevated vineyard on the property, the first to be replanted in 1968 by Riccardo Falchini. It lies South–South West and receives the most sunlight throughout the year, hence its name. This wine comes entirely from 100% Vernaccia grapes.
The fermentation and storage are carried out in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks.
On the nose, it is pleasantly fresh with a hint of orange, almond nut, and delicate white jasmine flowers. On the palate, we tasted orange bitter, lemon, peach skin, and orange zest.
Teruzzi Isola Bianca 2021
Teruzzi Isola Bianca is a blend of grapes from both the Racciano and Ponte Rondolino locations, where deep soils of Pliocene origin show the presence of clay. It was aged in stainless steel barrels, just like Falchini.
On the nose, it felt grassy and continued with lemon skin, white floral notes, sweet pea, pear, and ascorbic acid. The flavors of orange, lemon, green crisp apple, white pepper, and other spices completed the experience.
This blend felt slightly more balanced and elegant than Falchini.
Pairing Vernaccia di San Gimignano Wines with Food
Vernaccia di San Gimignano wines’ acidity suggests seafood and other dishes to be enjoyed together.
Fish, shellfish, lobster, antipasti, and white meat are the usual successful pairings. On this occasion, we tried them with slow-cooked pork belly, which went really well together. Also, goat chees spread on a cracker was the easiest light appetizer we loved.