Vernaccia di San Gimignano: Tuscany’s supreme white wine territory

In the province of Siena, in the heart of Tuscany, lives the ‘white queen’ – Vernaccia di San Gimignano – whose name is taken by both the DOCG region and its key grape variety. Her vineyards gaze up to the striking hilltop skyline of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed medieval ‘city of towers’ (there are 14 that remain visible today) of San Gimignano.

To taste Vernaccia di San Gimignano is to be transported into a historical tapestry of art and culture; lauded by poets, popes and aristocrats, this wine’s long, noble recorded history dates back to at least 1276.

Scroll down to see notes and scores for 10 characterful wines from Vernaccia di San Gimignano

Covering some 750ha, the denomination’s production has been steady for decades (the register of vineyards closed in 1998) at about five million bottles, but its value has increased. ‘We have seen renewed interest in historic indigenous white wines, which are versatile and pair well with food,’ says Irina Guicciardini Strozzi, president of the Vernaccia di San Gimignano consorzio. ‘Remember, we were Italy’s first DOC, certified in 1966.’

The DOCG status came in 1993, after the modern renaissance driven by local growers as well as people arriving from other regions, beginning in the 1980s. The soil here formed over Pliocene marine deposits of yellow sand and clays, often layered over denser blue clay beds.

‘The soil influences the wine’s style,’ says agronomist and vice president of the consorzio Nadia Betti. ‘While no zoning has ever been done, we can identify four zones: those which give complex, structured wines; those producing very fruity, fresh Vernaccia that is ready sooner; others which produce less-fruity but savoury wines; and, lastly, zones offering lighter-bodied yet elegant, mineral Vernaccia.’

Vintage Vernaccia & Riserva

‘Pity the poor Vernaccias that are sold and drunk too soon, without their true value being understood,’ says Francesco Galgani at Cappella Sant’Andrea. Indeed, time is crucial to understanding Vernaccia. The ‘annata’ wines (the benchmark wines of the vintage) display subtle, fine, fruity and floral aromas and are pleasant, saline and very quaffable.

Above all, they have gourmet potential, their typical savouriness pairing well with meals, drawing out flavour and in turn being enhanced by the food. Give the annatas a few years and they gain in complexity, revealing their true nature. The Riserva wines must, by regulation, age (in oak, steel, amphorae or concrete) for at least 11 months, of which three months must be in bottle, before going to market.

One point to remember is that the Riserva category doesn’t allow for a wine to be reclassified as Riserva later – the decision must be made at the time of harvest, since bunches set aside for Riserva are recorded separately. Therefore, when freshly picked, only the most valuable, highest-quality grapes are selected.

Walter Sovran, director at Panizzi, says: ‘The Riserva is made with the finest grapes, so there is a high correlation with the vineyards but not necessarily with the soil. The grapes most suitable for Riserva can come from different plots, depending on the year. The Riserva is the most ageworthy type of Vernaccia. I recently tasted the Panizzi 1990 Riservas again and found them intact and still lively.’

The late Giovanni Panizzi, who was president of the consorzio from 2003 to 2009, and Elisabetta Fagiuoli, owner of Montenidoli, always focused on Vernaccia’s potential for evolution over time; other producers then followed suit.

As it matures, Vernaccia changes and improves considerably – in the Riservas it strikes a balance between an acidic, sapid backbone and a full, structured intricacy, displaying deeper and more complex aromas, too (think saffron and flint). If you’re patient, Vernaccia di San Gimignano is sure to impress.

When visiting the city of towers, drop by the consorzio’s wine bar – you’ll be surprised at how this unique white can evolve.

Five producers to know

Cappella Sant’Andrea

This 7.5ha organic vineyard includes a number of 60- and 100-year-old vines that have been trained up small maple trees. The winery also produces Vernaccia Riserva in amphorae. The wines undergo spontaneous fermentation with natural yeasts and their strong character expresses the terroir with authenticity. cappellasantandrea.it

Fattoria San Donato

It’s worth making the journey to the medieval village of San Donato, home to the eponymous fattoria. Umberto Fenzi and family have managed the 20ha organic vineyard for more than 20 years, alongside 180ha of olive groves, orchards, crops such as spelt, barley and chickpeas, saffron, livestock and a farmstay that offers cookery classes. Their wines embody the true spirit of the terroir. sandonato.it

Il Colombaio di Santa Chiara

The Logi family’s wines are guaranteed to provide precision, verticality and slow evolution. The Locanda dei Logi (an upscale farmstay in the former rectory and adjacent buildings of the small Romanesque San Donato church, just southwest of San Gimignano), the new Osteria della Locanda and the wine shop are all well worth a visit. colombaiosantachiara.it

Montenidoli

Elisabetta Fagiuoli is a passionate, eminently knowledgeable wine-grower. It was 1965 when she moved to Montenidoli, on one of Tuscany’s oldest hilltops, high up on dolomitic limestone soil. Her wines clearly encapsulate the spirit of their birthplace, set among 200ha of forests. montenidoli.com

Tenute Guicciardini Strozzi

With more than 1,000 years of history, this estate covers 530ha (with 90ha of vineyards) a few kilometres northeast of the city of towers. A visit to the winery is a unique experience, encompassing rolling hills, woods, vineyards, a stately home and park, historic wine cellars and a truffle orchard. guicciardinistrozzi.it

A view on Vernaccia: Piubello’s 10 wines to try

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