The Vernaccia di San Gimignano Grape

Vernaccia di San Gimignano is an ancient and long-respected white-wine grape originating in the Italian town of San Gimignano, and still grown only in that vicinity. Note well that there are numerous Italian grape varieties called “Vernaccia”-Something, but the only one of interest is the “Vernaccia di San Gimignano”, which is a distinct variety not related to any other Vernaccias. The grape does poorly when tried away from its home ground; the general belief is that the grape and the distinctive sandstone soils in its home area are a magical marriage of demand and supply, and it may well be so.

Despite many centuries of appreciation and fame, Vernaccia di San Gimignano was notably on the decline in the first half of the 20th century. But when the area was proclaimed by law as Italy’s first official DOC, that—and its inherent superiority to the grapes that were than supplanting it—led to a return of its premier status.

This is one of those unusual cases where the name of the grape and the name of the authorized wine are the same. The named wine is often monovarietal, but can include up to 10% of other white wines. Some bottlings have been exposed to oak-barrel aging, but the use of oak is controversial: the wine has subtle flavoring, and while a kiss of oak may enhance it somewhat, the least excess of oaking will largely destroy the wine’s native qualities. Indeed, even blending is frowned on by many as tending to submerge the Vernaccia distinctiveness, as it doesn’t take much of other added varieties to do so.

A typical Vernaccia di San Gimignano has a gold coloration and manifest floral aroma, and tends to be full-bodied and powered by crisp acidity, with distinct minerality and citrus overetones. A frequently mentioned quality is a mild but noticeable bitter-almond after-taste (remember that Italians are fond of bitter as a taste) that adds to its interest.

Factoid: Vernaccia is mentioned by Dante (Purgatorio XXIV) as an example of Pope Martin IV’s gluttony.

Some Descriptions of Vernaccia di San Gimignano Wines

Wikipedia
“Since the Renaissance, it has been considered one of Italy’s finest white wines. It was the first Italian wine to be awarded Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) status in 1966; on July 9th, 1993 it was upgraded to Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG)…Due to the difficulties in cultivating the Vernaccia grape, the wine fell out of favor in the early 20th century as the more prolific Trebbiano and Malvasia grapes were planted. By the 1960s, Vernaccia di San Gimignano experienced a resurgence as its distinctive, crisp qualities established it as a popular alternative to the blander wines produced from Trebbiano and Malvasia blends…In San Gimignano, the Vernaccia grapes planted in sandstone based vineyards tend to produce the best examples of Vernaccia di San Gimignano. The wine is characteristically dry with crisp acidity and a slightly bitter finish. Most consider Vernaccia di San Gimignano to be a simple, everyday white; its popularity being owed less to what is in the glass and more to it being the local wine of San Gimigniano, one of Tuscany’s most touristy towns. Despite this reputation, modern winemaking has introduced the use of oak aging to give the wine another layer of complexity and roundness. While very different from the historic style of Vernaccia di San Gimignano, the success of these more modern and international styles has not yet been established. According to DOC regulations, Vernaccia di San Gimigniano must contain 90% Vernaccia, with up to 10% other nonaromatic approved white varieties. In order to meet ‘riserva’ status, aging must be a minimum of twelve months, including four months in bottle.”
Wine Searcher
“Despite its prominence, Vernaccia di San Gimignano does not seem to be as internationally renowned as many other prestigious Italian wines, particularly the limelight-grabbing reds. Nevertheless it is one of the most charismatic and distinctive Italian whites. It is recognized for its golden-hued color, powerful and full-bodied nature, heady floral bouquet, dry, crisp and persistent flavors, high levels of acidity and a characteristic bitter aftertaste. It also reflects its terroir, offering mineral characteristics of stone (particularly flint) from the sandstone soils where the grapes are grown. DOCG rules stipulate that this white must be made predominantly from Vernaccia grapes, although wineries are permitted to include small quantities of Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and non-aromatic white-wine varieties permitted for use in Tuscany. The DOCG’s riserva wines are made from the best grapes, and must spend at least one year aging in the cellar, either in stainless steel or oak, as well as a further period of four months in bottle before release.”
Discover Tuscany
“The [soil] in this area is filled with fossils and therefore is composed of pliocene soil and clay – shells and remnants of the ancient of the Ligurian sea which lapped up against the peaks in Tuscany. The mineral composition give the wine its charactistically dry taste with crisp acidity and a slightly bitter finish. The color will range from pale straw yellow, tending to golden with aging.”
Italy and Wine
“Vernaccia di San Gimignano has a pale straw yellow color which goes to golden with the aging; fine, penetrating and characteristic aroma; dry, harmonious, with a characteristic bitter aftertaste. The minimum alcohol content is 11º (11.5% for the Reserve, after minimum mandatory aging of one year from January the 1st of the year following the year of harvest and last four months of aging into the bottle).”
Michael Apstein, i-wine review
“There are compelling reasons to learn about this wine. It’s versatile, ranging from a light crisp invigorating white ideal for summery fare to a Riserva style that has more body and oomph that makes it a good choice for more intensely flavored dishes…Vernaccia is well suited to the unusual—for Tuscany—well-drained sandy clay soil, which probably explains why the grape thrives in San Gimignano and nowhere else…Vernaccia di San Gimignano has a range of styles, which is both a blessing and a curse because while it gives consumers choices, it also has the potential to confuse them. But, to put the range into perspective, it is no broader than the spectrum of Chardonnay that extends from unoaked and lean (Chablis-like) to opulent and rich (think Meursault). The vast majority of Vernaccia di San Gimignano wines seen in the U.S. convey vibrancy with crispness and energy from mouth cleansing acidity. There’s often a subtle citrus or nutty nuance in the finish. At the other end of the spectrum are the Vernaccia di San Gimignano that have been aged in oak barrels and have a rounder, more full-bodied profile. Fortunately for the consumer, the wood-aged ones are easy to identify since they are almost always labeled Riserva.”
Beppi Crosariol, The Globe and Mail
“[Noted Italian-wine expert Ian] D’Agata wisely cautions that one should not expect mind-blowing intensity from vernaccia di San Gimignano. Like most indigenous Italian whites, it tends to whisper, particularly in its most familiar, unoaked style. Zippy and lean, unoaked examples tend to be redolent of citrus and, more intriguingly, a heady floral quality along with bitter herbs and almond, perfect for lighter fare, particularly seafood. Some producers have had compelling results with barrel maturation, which can impart suggestions of vanilla and spice. But they walk a fine line, because vernaccia is easily robbed of its delicate essence when wood takes charge.”
The Native Grapes
“As a crisp and youthful white, it’s most likely to be completely fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks for release sometime during the following year. As a Riserva, there’s a minimum of 11 months ageing (usually in oak/wooden vats) from January 1st of the year following the harvest plus 3 months bottle ageing before release. Patience and an intelligent hand are needed not to overdue the wood. Got to keep it real.”
Doctor Wine
“[S]ome estates will produce a top quality wine one year and one would expect this to be repeated with consistency in the following years. Were this the case, then a positive message would be sent, one of a stylistic maturity. However, this often does not happen with disastrous effects not only for the estate but the appellation in general…There is then another small problem regarding the Reserve wines. The latest vintage is 2017 and again it suffers from the ‘wood syndrome’. While I am not against the use of wood, it is important that it be used wisely otherwise the attack of the mouthfeel is too sweet-vanilla and the finish is flat due to a lack of acidity and too much alcohol that creates a boomerang of boredom.”
L’Italo-Americano
“The typical characteristics of vernaccia include being a lighter to medium style wine that is dry, crisp, perfumed and floraly with notes of almond and citrus. Producers in the area will typically add some other grapes including chardonnay or vermentino to add more complexity and beef up the wine. For those of you that are big on regulations, to qualify as a Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG, the Italian law requires the wine to be made of at least 85% vernaccia with the allowance of 15% of other grapes. A Vernaccia di San Gimignano Riserva must age at least 11 months plus an additional 3 months in the bottle before release. Plus, the wines must be produced within the area of San Gimignano as well.”

Some Vernaccia di San Gimignanos to Try

There are lots of bottlings on the market, but not so many with both reasonable quality and reasonable prices. The list below seems to us to comprise those few.

For a Splurge

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This page was last modified on Saturday, 30 October 2021, at 11:26 pm Pacific Time.

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