On the Road with the Grape Guy

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Category: On the Road with the Grape Guy

(February 2023) ...

The Background ...

I have been coming to San Gimignano to taste Vernaccia for the past 10-plus years; and when I first arrived, I am almost ashamed to admit I came for the gelato of Dondoli - a master of his craft, he has at least three world championships under his belt. It was worth the trip to San Gimignano just for that. The wine? Not so much.

The Reason …

The wines have been hit and miss over the years, with very few hits and so many misses. The most impressive winery I have found in these parts is Tenuta le Calcinaie; they have learned the art of keeping freshness in the wine without killing it with too much lees or oak contact.

A Change of Pace …

I'm happy to report that the 2022 wines have plenty of examples of fresh, quaffable and crushable Vernaccia. I'd be thrilled to sit on a patio with many of these and drink the entire bottle, no gelato required; I’d even be thrilled to share them with friends. As I wrote in my notes at the bottom of a spreadsheet on the day of tasting:

"2022 is a turn-the-corner vintage, where freshness reigns supreme; lots of variations on a fresh grapefruit and pineapple combo; the only real difference is whether a winery was able to keep the acidity within the wine high to low or non-existent to bland. The vast majority of wines were in the good to better category; meaning, they were able to create a balanced, very drinkable wine.”

The Final Thought …

Kudos to the winemakers of the region who have hopped on the freshness train and stopped trying to make the wines in the old tradition, instead they have, for the most part, embraced a more modern approaches. This new direction marks a turning point for San Gimignano and Vernaccia, a grape that can now retake her throne as Queen of Tuscany with pride.

Below are selected notes of the wines I tasted - since these are mostly part of the anteprima, and no other notations were made. I assumed the wines were all unfinished / barrel / bottle / tanks samples; therefore, I scored them all using my Good / Better / Best in ranking of potential.

Today 96 wines were tasted in total ... Most impressive were the wines from the 2022 vintage, which was the majority).

You’ll see some similarity in many of the notes I include, and believe me that is a good thing and I did it purposefully – it shows some consistency in the wines that has been sorely lacking in the past.

While 96 wines were tasted, only those that were deserving of a rating are included below.

BEST

Podere del Paradiso 2021 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG Riserva - Biscondola
nice freshness here, strong acidity gives the wine great balance,
but in the end proved light and refreshing

BETTER

Abbazia Monteoliveto 2022 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG
lots of pineapple and grapefruit
Cesani 2022 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG - Cesani
Collina dei Venti 2022 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG - Giadra
Fattoria La Torre 2022 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG - Acquaiole
Fattoria La Torre 2022 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG - La Villa
Fattoria Poggio Alloro 2022 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG - Il Nicciaio
Fattorie Melini 2022 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG - Le Grillaie
Geografico 2022 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG - Borgo alla Terra
Guidi 2021 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG Riserva - Aurea
nice mouthfeel / weight, grapefruit zest, long finish
Il Colombaio di Santa Chiara 2022 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG - Selvabianca
Morfmoraia 2021 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG - Ostrea
grapefruit pith cocktail - quite refreshing
San Benedetto 2020 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG Riserva
pith and zest meet and have a party with the acidity
Signano 2022 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG  
lots of pineapple and grapefruit
Tenuta La Vigna 2022 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG
lots of pineapple and grapefruit
Tenuta le Calcinaie 2022 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG
lots of pineapple and grapefruit
Teruzzi 2022 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG - Isola Bianca
lots of pineapple and grapefruit
Toliena 2022 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG - Lunario
lots of pineapple and grapefruit

GOOD

Alessandro Tofanari 2021 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG - Sassa
grapefruit pith
Cappellasantandrea 2021 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG - Rislto
grapefruit pith
Casa alle Vacche 2020 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG Riserva - Crocus
there's a touch of sweetness left behind, but it is welcome
Casa alle Vacche 2022 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG - I Macchioni
Casale Falchini 2022 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG - Benozzo
Fattoria di Fugnano 2022 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG - Da Fugnano
Fattoria La Torre 2021 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG - Carromatto
canned pineapple
Fattoria Poggio Alloro 2022 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG
Fattoria San Donato 2020 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG - Angelica
pink grapefruit cocktail, sweet
Fattoria San Donato 2022 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG
Fornacelle 2022 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG
Il Colombaio di Santa Chiara 2020 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG Riserva - L'Albereta
Il Colombaio di Santa Chiara 2021 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG - Campo della Pieve
Il Lebbio 2022 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG
Il Palagione 2020 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG - Lyra
Il Palagione 2021 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG Riserva - Ori
La Lastra 2020 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG Riserva
it's white wine with no defining characteristics
La Lastra 2022 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG
La Roccaia 2022 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG
Montenidoli 2021 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG - Fiore
grapefruit pith
Palagetto 2022 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG - Santa Chiara
Panizzi 2022 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG
notes of pineapple and grapefruit
Pietraserena 2022 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG
notes of pineapple and grapefruit
Pietraserena 2022 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG - Vigna del Sole
notes of pineapple and grapefruit
Podere Le Valute 2022 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG
notes of pineapple and grapefruit
Poderi Arcangelo 2022 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG - Primo Angelo
notes of pineapple and grapefruit
Poderi Arcangelo 2022 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG - Terre del Lago
notes of pineapple and grapefruit
San Quirico 2022 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG
grapefruit
Signano 2022 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG - Poggiarelli
notes of pineapple and grapefruit
Tenuta Le Calcinaie 2020 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG Riserva - Vigna ai Sassi
Terre di Sovernaja 2020 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG Riserva - Assola
tastes better than its name might suggest
Terre di Sovernaja 2021 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG - Viti Sparse
Teruzzi 2019 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG Riserva - Sant'Elena
Tollena 2021 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG - Toillena
grapefruit pith
Vagnoni 2020 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG Riserva - I Mocali
Vagnoni 2021 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG - Fontabuccio
grapefruit cocktail

• Anteprima
• San Gimignano
• Vernaccia

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