THE WINE ROADS OF TUSCANY
The Wine Roads of Tuscany represent traditions deeply rooted in the history of the region; in the countryside itself that has been moulded by the hard work of farmers over the centuries. At the same time they represent quality and culture. They are an extraordinary world of vineyards, cellars, villages and wine festivals. A world which shows that the products are more than a simple label on a bottle denoting Tuscan origin, but something with a story to tell and a culture to share.
The “Wine Tourist” is a connoisseur of fine food and of artistic and natural beauty and seeks to explore off the beaten track. He appreciates the warm hospitality of holiday Villas such as Villa Pallero which is located in the heart of one of the most notable Wine producing areas of Tuscany and is looking for culture and quality.
More than seven centuries stand behind the reputation of Vernaccia di San Gimignano as Tuscany’s foremost white wine. Contemporary fame has been heightened by the fact that Vernaccia comes from the fabled hill town whose multiple medieval towers have made it a celebrated tourist attraction.
The wine’s current success on markets in italy and abroad is due above all to advances in techniques that over the last two decades have transformed the vineyards and cellars of the ancient estates that surround San Gimignano and Villa Pallero.
The historic status of Vernaccia was confirmed in 1966 when it became the first Italian wine; red or white; to be designated as DOC. Then in 1993 it became the first White Wine of Tuscany o be promoted to the guaranteed status of DOCG; a distinction previously reserved for the reds of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti and Carmignano.
The origins of Verncaccia are not certain, though the vine may have been planted at San Gimignano as early as the 11th; the wine was already the town pride in 1276 when it was the highest priced wine.
The soils of San Gimignano are not restricted to white wine. Many producers make Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG and the red and rose wines under the recent San Gimignano DOC, which also allows for Vin Santo. The rapidly improving class of Chianti Colli Senesi and Super Tuscans in the zone indicates that San Gimignano may some day be as admired for its red wines as its whites.
Vernaccia may be drunk chilled as an aperitif, though like most Italian whites it is enhanced by the company of food. It goes well with Antipasti based on vegetables, breads, effs, fish and cold cuts. It makes a fine summer match with the salad called Panzanella; crumbled bread with tomato, onion and basil and the bread and tomato soup or pappa col pormodor. It suits a range of pastas with sauces based on fresh vegetables and mushrooms as well as risotto and soups. Young Vernaccia excels with seafood; especially when grilled or poached and served simply with a dribble of extra virgin local olive oil.
The reserve, especially oak matured, benefits from a couple of years in a bottle. Served cool, but not overly chilled makes a match for dishes based on poultry, veal and rabbit.
Other notable wines from San Gimignano include the Rosato; a dry rose from Sangiovese, the Rosso which is a dry red and goes well with soups and pastas based on meats, vegetables and cheeses. The Riserva is recommended with roast and grilled beef, lamb and pork.
The San Gimignano Vin Santo is a softly dry to sweet dessert wine made from Malvasia; grapes are left to dry for months after the harvest and pressed into a rich must, which is fermented and aged for at least 3 years in small barrels and 4 months in bottles before being sold.
In the town of San Gimignano you can saunter up the ancient cobbles and enjoy “tastings” as you go in the many friendly and professional wineries.
From Villa Pallero, you can take a route into the surrounding countryside leading through the major vineyard areas. This will involve a fair amount of doubling back, since the routes do not always link, but since most vineyards lie within a few kilometres of San Gimignano, there are no great distances to cover. The Vineyard tours can be covered in a day or two and the rest of the time of a visit can be devoted to discovering the other delights of San Gimignano and nearby towns such as Volterra, which range beyond wine and food to take in an extraordinary number of artistic, architectural and historical sites.
Other Wine routes local to Villa Pallero are designed primarily for car travel, though they could also be done by bicycle, on foot or, in parts, on horseback.
Farms in the San Gimignano area are also noted for fine extra virgin olive oil, vegetables, fruit, honey, jams and preserves. Some estates also use the pomace left from the fermentation of wine to be distilled into Grappa.
The Headquarters of the Wine Road is;
Associazione Strada del Vino Vernaccia di San Gimignano,
Via Villa della Rocca,
53037 San Gimignano,
Siena
Tel. 0039 0577 940108
Email. vernaccia@iol.it
Website. www.vernaccia.it