Vernaccia di San Gimignano Riserva Vigna ai Sassi is a dry white wine produced by Tenuta Le Calcinaie in Tuscany and belongs to the Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG. Tenuta Le Calcinaie is located just three kilometres from San Gimignano, in the province of Siena. It was founded by Simone Santini in 1986 who is still the owner and a passionate winemaker. In 1989, Simone Santini planted the first hectare with Vernaccia vines, the vineyard now known as Vigna ai Sassi, and produced the first vintage of Vernaccia in 1995. This year is also important because it marked the beginning of the company's full application of the organic protocol. Over the years, Simone Santini has expanded the estate, as well as grown a passion for this Tuscan land, which has boasted a new, completely underground wine cellar since 2006, in which the wines age in complete safety from sudden changes in temperature and humidity. Vernaccia di San Gimignano is an indigenous Italian variety with a very ancient history: the beginning of its production dates back to 1200 and the first official document on it dates back to 1276, the Ordinamenti della Gabella del Comune in the municipality of San Gimignano, which show how trade in this wine was already flourishing and profitable at the time. It is in fact in the San Gimignano area that Vernaccia has found its ideal habitat. An important element that also characterises the Tenuta Le Calcinaie is the soil: it consists mainly of limestone, sands and marine fossils from the Pliocene era. The winery owes its name “Calcinaie” to these particular lime-rich soils. This is how Vernaccia di San Gimignano Riserva Vigna ai Sassi di Tenuta Le Calcinaie was born, a white wine made from Vernaccia and Chardonnay, which, following alcoholic fermentation, matures on lees for the next two years, followed by a further year of bottle ageing. This wine appears bright straw yellow in the glass. On the nose it expresses intense nuances of Mediterranean herbs, sage, marjoram and thyme, accompanied by fruit hints of ripe white-fleshed fruit and citrus notes. In the mouth it has a good structure, balanced between acidity and full flavour, but still soft on the palate. A persistent finish that returns to citrus notes and Mediterranean notes. Perfect for everyday consumption, it goes well with dishes based on grilled fish and shellfish.
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