2022 Vernaccia di San Gimignano Anteprima Blind Tasting
This would be my fourth installment of annual Vernaccia di San Gimignano wine review courtesy of Anteprime Toscane, that great weeklong previous of upcoming Tuscan wine releases. Last year I went through the effort of comparing the first 3 events to distill some recommendations, wines that repeated received top scores. I find this to be of some importance, since we can’t always remember the top wines from each vintage, nor can we find many of these wines. So having a short list of consistent winners is really the best use of all this information.
Here’s how things looked last year:
Wine with repeated high scores.
Tenuta Le Calcinaie Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Signano Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Tenuta La Vigna Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Montenidoli Tradizionale Vernaccia di San Gimignano Selezione
Fontaleoni Vernaccia di San Gimignano
La Lastra Vernaccia di San Gimignano
In addition the following producers have appeared more than once on my favorites list, though with different bottlings.
Guicciardini Strozzi
Fattoria di Fugnano
Cappella Sant'Andrea
And finally the only wine to make my top recommendation list in all three years, and a wine that stands in stark contrast to the previous wine, all more traditionally styled and leaning towards the crisp, mineral end of the Vernaccia spectrum, we have:
Il Colombaio di Santa Chiara L’Albereta Vernaccia di San Gimignano Riserva
So how does this year’s line-up fare? One note to keep in mind is that not every wine is presented every year, so that does cause some discontinuity, but having said that let’s look at the scores of this years entrants
Tenuta Le Calcinaie Vernaccia di San Gimignano 96pts
Signano Vernaccia di San Gimignano 93pts
Tenuta La Vigna Vernaccia di San Gimignano 76pts
Montenidoli Tradizionale Vernaccia di San Gimignano Selezione N/A
Fontaleoni Vernaccia di San Gimignano N/A
La Lastra Vernaccia di San Gimignano 84pts
In addition the following producers have appeared more than once on my favorites list, though with different bottlings.
Guicciardini Strozzi
2021 Guicciardini Strozzi Vernaccia di San Gimignano Villa Cusona 80pts
2021 Guicciardini Strozzi Vernaccia di San Gimignano Titolato Strozzi 88pts
Fattoria di Fugnano
2021 Fattoria di Fugnano Vernaccia di San Gimignano Da Fugnano 87pts
2020 Fattoria di Fugnano Vernaccia di San Gimignano Donna Gina 92pts
Cappella Sant'Andrea
2021 Cappella Sant'Andrea Vernaccia di San Gimignano 85pts
2019 Cappella Sant’Andrea Vernaccia di San Gimignano Riserva Prima Luce 87pts
2020 Cappella Sant’Andrea Vernaccia di San Gimignano Rialto 74pts
Il Colombaio di Santa Chiara L’Albereta Vernaccia di San Gimignano Riserva
Which was not tasted this year, though another, similar wine was submitted, with excellent results.
2020 Il Colombaio di Santa Chiara Vernaccia di San Gimignano Campo della Pieve 95pts.
Well, that’s all fairly confusing, but it does whittle down the list of star performers a bit. Looks like my short list should include:
Tenuta Le Calcinaie
Signano
Il Colombaio di Santa Chiara
Though to these I would add in this year’s consistently good Casa Falchini, my top scoring wine the 2021 Collemucioli Vernaccia di San Gimignano Madre Terra, Geografico’s excellent Vernaccia di San Gimignano Borgo alla Terra, Il Palagione’s very strong showings with Hydra, Lyra, and Riserva Ori deserve special mention, and the 2020 Terre di Severnaja Vernaccia di San Gimignano Viti Sparse should not be missed!
I could say that I am just a bit disappointed by the lack of consistency among these wines, but this being a blind tasting, it is what it is. There are some uncontrollable variables at play here, the tasting order, the temperature of the wines throughout the day, the time the bottle has been opened that must be accounted for, but do no lend themselves to such accounting.
So it is what it is, which brings me to the disappointing showing for all three Montenidoli wines. Always divisive, though I usually find them more attractive as a group, if rarely consistent. I look forward to the opportunity to try the trio again next year to see if the results are similar, then to try and figure out if the wines have changed or if my palate has.
That is of course a tricky part of all this. We presume that our palates are consistent and relatively infallible. The truth is quite to the contrary of course. They are variable and ever changing. Which is why I do like to compare the years reports and identify the consistent winners, fore they must be doing something right in order to overcome all these variables.
I won’t go through my preferences here again, they can found in prior reports, but i will say that I am happy to see so many good wines coming out of the region. White wines in Italy’s red wine regions have historically been considered little more than an afterthought. The revolution in wine, sparked by disparate events that include climate change, preservation of indigenous varieties, and exploitation of underserved market niches have field a boom in “new” white wines. Those new wines tend to receive an inordinate amount of attention from the media and sommeliers, both of whom are guilty of the pursuit of the novel instead of the good, I call to the stand: orange wines.
Well, I think we owe it to the old guard to pay more attention to what they are doing. Help them a bit before turning our attention to perhaps the more exciting stories of the rediscovered, the saviors, and the novel.
And I that note I present to you the list of wines tasted at this year’s Vernaccia di San Gimignano Anteprima blind tasting.
1 2021 Abbazia Monte Oliveto Vernaccia di San Gimignano
A bit candied on the nose, very sweet peach and melon aromas with a hint of talc mineralogy. A little polyphenolic bitterness early on the palate, a fair amount of body here, with some floral notes on the palate as well as plenty of melon fruit. Pronounced acidity cuts through the richness and leads to a fairly long, tart, steely finish. Assertive and intense, though lacks appeal beyond that. 86pts
2 2021 Cantina Guidi Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Delicate on the nose with aromas of dried hay, honeycomb and bruised apple. Delicate in the mouth as well with light gauzy fruit revealing stoney base notes through the bruised apple flavors. Pleasant and long with a fine blend of fruitiness, light bitterness, and lovely nuanced apple peel, and gently citrusy flavors. Lovely if subtle, could drink this all day. 90pts
3. 2021 Cappella Sant'Andrea Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Fennelly on the nose with light melon and sandy soil aromas, but mostly licorice toned. Light in the mouth, rather well balanced with good cut and a very linear feel, not much fat here but enough to cover the acid through most of the modestly complex finish. Ends with a pithy note and some peachy fruit tones. Not bad but not terribly interesting. 85pts
4. 2021 Casa alle Vacche Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Very soil driven with a hint of old wood even, prosciutto fat, a bit of saltiness as well. Juicy, medium plus body on the palate with good intensity to the slightly earthy, apple peel and floral flavors that finish strongly with good persistence accompanied by a very faint tannic imprint. This is very good if subtle, not the most complex but with terrific mouthfeel and on target flavors. 92pts
5 2021 Casa alle Vacche I Macchioni Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Passion Fruit aromas jump from the glass; this is exotic and makes me think more of Sauvignon Blanc than Vernaccia, Bright enough but also showing some heaviness on the palate. There a little less passionfruit in the mouth, more grapefruit with a very short finish. Atypical. 82pts
6. 2021 Casa Lucii Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Quartzy, stony and with gentle white floral notes, this is reticent. Sneaky, has some flesh to it, lots of dustiness on the palate, clean, slightly simple green fruit, green melon flavors are layered over a firm, steely and stoney base. A subtle wine that has some Muscadet like qualities, a bit saline and dusty on the finish as well. Lovely easy drinker with some mouth grab. 87pts
7 2021 Casale Falchini Vernaccia di San Gimignano Benozzo Gozzoli
Aromas of honeycomb and candied almond greet the nose followed by plummy yellow fruit. Quite aromatic in the mouth, a touch of forest flora, autumnal quality frames the small core of pear skin fruit. Very mineral and refreshing on the palate, a fine blend of old school winemaking and beautifully ripe fruit. Bracing, long stony finish. 92pts
8 2021 Casale Falchini Vernaccia di San Gimignano Vigna a Solatio
Intensely aromatic with notes of crushed stone, menthol, and green tea competing for one’s attention. Stony up front with great cut and energy in the mouth. Not a fruit driven wine, though some light melon notes and bitter pear skin notes show up on the mid palate followed by floral hints all leading to a very long, saline and stoney finish. A touch of lemon rind lends complexity. Just terrific energy here, exciting but at the same a bit challenging. 93pts
9. 2021 Cesani Vernaccia di San Gimignano
A little sour on the nose with hints of bookbinders glue, and chemical notes. Not terrible attractive on the nose. Better in the mouth with some bruised apple fruit, small scaled flavors, plenty of weight to the palate, not terrible but ordinary. 82pts
10 2021 Collemucioli Vernaccia di San Gimignano Madre Terra
Intensely aromatic with a fine blend of dusty white soil, dried herbs, yellow fruit wrapped in hints of green olive and white pepper. Fresh and pure in the mouth where the flavors are more subtle than the nose might suggest. But this is absolutely delicious and perfectly proportioned. There’s a touch of tannic mouth grab, Great acidity yet the wine is not tart, long, slinky, Complex and nuanced. As good as it gets. 96pts
11 2021 Collina dei Venti Vernaccia di San Gimignano Libera
Stone, bees wax, and menthol greet the nose. A bit large scaled wine, glassy and simple, and attractive for it’s mineral purity but there’s an aggressiveness here which suggests this needs another several months in bottle. It’s rather Chablis like, with underlying chalkiness, minerals and acid driven. With a fairly long slightly dusty finish. A bit atypical but still quite attractive. 90pts
12 2021 Fattoria di Fugnano Vernaccia di San Gimignano Da Fugnano
A bit stinky on the nose, stoney and muddy, with some prosciutto backnotes, Rather rounded on entry, this is a little diffuse on the palate, though it has a pleasant blend of melon and pear fruit, some slightly autumnal notes and good stony tones through on the long finish. Easy going and fun enough to drink 87pts
13. 2021 Fattoria Poggio Alloro Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Sweetly floral on the nose with a hint of roasted chestnut lurking, along with hints of cantaloup, almost red berried fruit, and white pepper. This smells enchanting. A little less pronounced flavors in the mouth basically mirror the perfumes. It’s more melon and has a touch of bitterness to offset the fruit, finishes on the shorter side. It is lovely, playful, but fairly delicate example of Vernaccia. 89pts
14. 2021 Fattoria Poggio Alloro Vernaccia di San Gimignano Il Nicchiaio
Melon, waxy and slightly nutty on the nose. With good intensity. Tense across the palate with more melon flavors along with some quince paste notes. Bigger scaled and a touch monolithic, though this finishes well, with nice drive to the mineral flavors. Seems fairly archetypal for what modern day Vernaccia is trying to be. Fruity, then clean, polished and long. 91pts
15. 2021 Fattoria San Donato Vernaccia di San Gimignano
A bit autumnal on the nose and slightly saline with green citrus rind notes and a hint of bay leaf. An the edge of relaxed though with enough tension and light tannic imprint to keep this taut across the palate. Clean, fresh finish offers up a blend of minerality and slightly autumnal green pithy fruit. Quite dusty on the finish. As much as the prior wine was archetypal for modern Vernaccia, this is what I recall as traditional Vernaccia. 90pts
16. 2021 Fattorie Melini Vernaccia di San Gimignano La Grillaie
Sweet on the nose with rose petal scents along with gentle melon fruit and a hint of cream. Bright on entry and quite floral in the mouth, with a slight astringency across the mid palate. Fruit is very delicate here, and fades quickly on the slightly austere finish. Fun to drink for its bracing texture, but not a lot going on here. 86pts
17 2021 Fornacelle Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Quite balsamic on the nose, smells of capers, and light green herbs. Light and easy to drink with a fair amount of flesh covering the acids. It’s a bit indistinct, but pure and clean, another Muscadet like example with some earthy character and faint citrus flavors on the backend. 85pts
18. 2021 Geografico Vernaccia di San Gimignano Borgo alla Terra
Intense on the nose with aromas of old books, preserved limes, bees wax, green olive, and hay. Taut in the mouth, airy on the palate with flavors that reveal more fruit than the nose. Melon, pear, and almond come together in the mouth with some weight but also good cut and a nice edge of tannins that help to support the finish. This is succulent and so persistent. Lovely to finish here with its blend of fruit and tannin. Could use a bit more depth to the flavors but is delicious and so fun to drink. 92pts
19. 2021 Guicciardini Strozzi Vernaccia di San Gimignano Villa Cusona
Smells of cherry blossoms, and slightly of red fruit with an almost Christmas like spice.. A bit round and tactile in the mouth, Doesn’t lack acidity but seems a bit to much RS. Short finish shows the acids, A bit dull. 80pts
20. 2021 Guicciardini Strozzi Vernaccia di San Gimignano Titolato Strozzi
Lemon drop, lemon blossom, such a pretty nose, with detail notes of menthol and dried tarragon. Light and fresh in the mouth, built more on mineral notes than fruit in the mouth, with a very light cover of sweet lemony fruit layered over the mineral base. Smells great but doesn’t quite deliver on the palate. 88pts
21. 2021 il Colombaio di Santa Chiara Vernaccia di San Gimignano Selvabianca
A touch earthy on the nose, dried melon, chalk, and almond hull aromas greet the nose. Juicy in the mouth, a bit middle fo the road with lemony and melon flavors. A mild stony finish. Very pleasant but a bit innocuous. 84pts
22. 2021 Il Lebbio Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Sour and faintly chemical on the nose with a sour nuttiness. Fairly neutral in the mouth. Tart, slightly earthy, with some sweet fruitiness on the backend that is rather vague. Unremarkable. 79pts
23. 2021 Il Palagione Vernaccia di San Gimignano Hydra
Light lemon drop and forest floor aromas on the nose lead to a lovely palate with good tension and faint tannin supporting a very deep, mineral palate. This is succulent and saline with terrific length. Melon flavors emerge with air and this moves from one strength to another. The fruit gains prominence. Really lovely and so vibrant. 94pts
24. 2021 La Lastra Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Slightly exotic on the nose with hints of kiwi and passion fruits laid over a slightly floral undertone. A bit dilute on the palate, pleasant with good minerality, but lacks some tension, and fishes very short. Pleasant with an extra point for the slightly dusty tannins. 84pts
25.2021 Mormoraia Vernaccia di San Gimignano Suavis
A bit of kiwi on the nose, river stones, and a hint of chive. Much more intense on entry than the nose suggests. Has a decent amount of flesh to it supporting citrus flavors with a green herbal top note. Not terribly distinct but complex and pleasant. Nice finish is pleasantly austere with an almond streak to it. A bit coarse but pleasant. 87pts
26.2021 Palagetto Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Odd note of saw dust greets the nose, followed by spiced cider apple fruit, river stones, and a hint of sweet lemon verbena. Sweet Meyer lemon fruit jump out on entry followed buy lots of juicy acidity leading to a modest, slight tannic finish. A bit aggressive and perhaps slightly disjointed but with some good fruit and structure. 87pts
27. 2021 Palagetto Vernaccia di San Gimignano Santa Chiara
Dried lemon rind, bay leaf, and a light fennel note greets the nose. A bit bitter on entry, with that suggestion of fennel growing across the palate. There's a nice core of lemony fruit here as well, a little ginseng emerges on the backend, with slight powdery tannins and juicy acidity leading to a long, lemon scented finish. Has an autumnal undercurrent to it. 88pts
28. 2021 Panizzi Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Polleny floral aromas and notes of butchers wax dominate the nose, along with faint orange undertones and a touch of bay leaf. A touch diffuse across the palate, this is really very attractive with lovely aromas and like flavors across the palate though I wish there was a bit more tension and length here. This is probably as aggressive as most consumers would like their white wine, It’s complex, fruity, and well structured. But for me it lacks the spark of excitement. 91pts
29. 2021 Podere Arcangelo Vernaccia di San Gimignano Primo Angelo
Simple of the nose and redolent of figs and fruitcake. Small scaled with mineral notes on entry, quite pleasant preserved citrus fruit flavors and that slightly caramel tone from the nose layered on the backend. No finish to speak of. Pleasant and simple. 82pts
30. 2021 Podere Arcangelo Vernaccia di San Gimignano Terra del lago
Rather menthol dominated on the nose though air does bring out a lightly lemonyness and some peppery undertones. Fruity and rounded in style. This is kind of seamless with a glossy feel to the palate. It lacks some detail but certainly seems to be very easy drinking in style, though it has a stickiness on the palate I find off putting. Not my favorite with an artificial sort of confected fruit. 80pts
31. 2021 San Benedetto Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Stinky, Smells a bit like ass. Grassy, green, mulch, On entry this is like the nose, a bit off-putting but it does pick up a ton of green fruit on the palate, kiwi, lime, and melon. There is no finish to speak of. Not much to recommend. 76pts
32. 2021 San Quirico Vernaccia di San Gimignano
At first floral, then this picks up shadings of passion fruit, lemon, and some green olive details. A touch relaxed in the mouth, very pleasant with some stickiness on the palate but lacking any real intensity to the flavors. It’s a bit dried herby and stoney through the modest finish. The palate is sort of a fainter echo of the nose. 85pts
33 2021 Signano Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Honeycomb, earth, worn wood, and almond notes greet the nose. Great cut with tart citrus fruit flavors. This is linear, and focused, showing deftly polished edges, in a super sleek yet still firm style. Good length with some slightly stemmy notes on the finish. Has an almost vanilla overtone to it in the mouth, with a gentle peachiness emerging on the finish. Peaches and cream over mineral notes. Lovely 93pts
34. 2021 Signano Vernaccia di San Gimignano Poggiarelli
Tight floral and ivy aromas greet the nose, with a menthol top note. Fruity up front with a nice blend of fleshiness and light tannic wash lending this a tender yet firm texture. A touch diffuse on the backend but lovely wine with intense floral character on the finish. Simple but attractive. 90pts
35. 2021 Tenuta la Vigna Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Smells a bit meaty, like salami, Not a lot going on in the mouth. Dusty, simple with an earthy core of fruit and that salumi note emerging on the palate with a modest finish. 76pts
36. 2021 Tenuta la Vigna Vernaccia di San Gimignano Etichetta Verde
Floral and salty aromas on the nose are followed by quince fruit and an almond accent. Bright and lean in the mouth, shows good energy here but is a touch diffuse through the mid palate and drops off on the modest finish. Really promising nose is let down but the lack of depth in the mouth. 84pts
37. 2021 Tenuta Le Calcinaie Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Lemon and a bit of thyme greet the nose followed by an orange rind hint and a bit of spearmint. Intense in the mouth, wow this explodes on the palate with both flavor and fabulous energy from the powdery tannins and juicy acidity. Decent length, if there could be a quibble with this wine. Just a wonderful balance of citrusy fruit, with hints of melon and pears followed by gentle dried herb, floral and slightly dusty flavors. OK, the finish is plenty long enough as it turns out. Perhaps too intense for easy pairing at the table but this is terrific. 96pts
38. 2021 Teruzzi Vernaccia di San Gimignano Isola Bianca
Almost with a dried ginger note early on the nose followed by tea, mineral, quince, and saline aromas. Fairly broad in the mouth but not without tension. This has a golden touch to the fruit, lemon, bruised apple, and melon toned, though pretty front loaded on the palate. The finish is modest, offering up some dusty minerality and some apple stem notes. Very pleasant and refined. With a nice interplay of sweet, tart, and gently bitter. 91pts
39 2021 Trollena Vernaccia di San Gimignano Lunario
A touch of sulfur greet the nose followed by a hint of iodine, pear skin fruit, and some tarry, licorice undertones. A bit sweet on entry, and just a touch heavy across the palate, this is clumsy and cumbersome. Fortunately it has no finish. 72pts
40. Vagnoni Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Another stinky wine. Masses of sulfur. In reduction. On the palate as well. Undrinkable. NR
41. 2020 Alessandro Tofanari Vernaccia di San Gimignano Ciprea
Quite apricot on the nose with strong quartz mineral, pollen flower and menthol framing notes. More delicate in the mouth than the nose might suggest, quite elegant and refined, with some tannic weight and well integrated if pronounced acidity. On the palate this is primary, all about its minerality, chalky and long with a succulence through the finish. Really lovely and firm wine with delicate and refined flavors. 92pts
42. 2020 Alessandro Tofanari Vernaccia di San Gimignano Astrea
Smells a bit of spicy wood followed by waxy notes, dried floral aromas and a strong fennel note. Ample on entry, with sweet slightly syrupy flavors early on the palate followed by slightly oxidized fruit flavors, formidable tannins and a dry, austere finish. Tough going, trying to make a statement but not enjoyable. It’s too tannic and too evolved, has plenty of acidity but lacks freshness of flavor. It is long though, and with he right food pairing could be enjoyable. 72pts
43. 2020 Cappella Sant’Andrea Vernaccia di San Gimignano Rialto
Very fruity, almost strawberry toned with a hint of backing wood spice. Lots of acidity balances out the generally very sweet fruit here. Seems to have a bit too much RS, lending this some stickiness on the palate. Though it’s t’s dry, and modestly tannic on the finish. Odd wine, tart, almost fleshy, then dry and austere. Not fun. 74pts
44. 2020 Cesani Vernaccia di San Gimignano Clamys
Spicy on the nose, and a bit green, with waxy fruit tones and a touch of mediterranean herbs. Rounded and ample on entry, with a softish, languid feel across the palate. The flavors are distinct, backed up with some tannins, leaning towards bitter apples and pear skins. Pleasantly astringent on the modest finish which turns more tannic with air. A rustic little wine which has it’s place. 88pts
45. 2020 Fattoria di Fugnano Vernaccia di San Gimignano Donna Gina
Smells a bit woodsy and gently tertiary. Dried flower, wood spice and dried fruit aromas grace the nose. Bright on entry, and rather vibrant in the mouth with a lovely purity to the yellow fruits. Some floral notes and a gentle wood spice wash lend further detail. All wrapped up with a slightly flannelly and moderately long finish. Lovely wine, a bit of sophistication. 92pts
46. 2020 Il Colombaio di Santa Chiara Vernaccia di San Gimignano Campo della Pieve
Very fresh with faint passionfruit notes framing a core of green tea laced almond and lemon rind fruit. Delicate on entry, but very well built, with a slightly chiseled feel and great freshness. Dusty minerality emerges on the midpalate, along with deep, well defined floral, citrus, and waxy flavors. Great poise and length with real energy on the palate. Love this, it’s so well balanced and so vivid. 95pts
47 2020 Montenidoli Vernaccia di San Gimignano Tradizione
Rather evolved on the nose. Leathery, dried spices, pressed flowers, dried apricot and quinine. Rich on entry, then thins out quickly, not much follow through to the initial rush of flavors. It’s rather evolved on the palate, with hints of dried apricot fruit, pollen, and distinct nuttiness, before this fades away leaving a fairly tannic imprint and bright acids. Interesting but not enjoyable. Too chewy and aggressive. 82pts
48. 2020 Montenidoli Vernaccia di San Gimignano Fiore
Sandy soil tones, dried vegetal notes, pollen florals and aromas of dried citrus pith great the nose. In the mouth this is actually somewhat attractive. The lack of freshness to the flavor profile is off-putting, but this is rather well balanced, if firm. Lots of Quincy fruit on the palate along with tea and almost tobacco tones. Tastes too old and feels too young. 81pts
49 2020 Mormoraia Vernaccia di San Gimignano Ostrea
Very pretty on the nose, delicate with floral nuance and sandy soil tones over a core of marzipan tinged apricot fruit. Juicy, vivid up front with a sweet/tart note on entry. It’s a bit of a simple wine, pleasantly fruity and then tart and stoney through the fairly long finish. A bit of a quaffer. 87pts
50. 2020 Panizzi Vernaccia di San Gimignano Vigna Santa Margherita
Caramel, toast, and stones on the nose with a hint of lemon verbena. A pretty big wine on the palate, rich and loaded with slightly evolved caramel, dried pear, and dried herb flavors leaning almost towards a coffee tone on the backend. Fairly long finish, with lots of exposed acid. It is complex and interesting but too big for the fruit that remains and not very much fun. 83pts
51.2020 Terre di Severnaja Vernaccia di San Gimignano Viti Sparse
Lots of lemon verbena on the nose along with dried apricot fruit, dried flowers, ginseng, and a touch of rooibos tea. This is another denser wine but it pulls it off so well. There’’s fine structural support here, juicy acidity lending freshness to the citrus toned flavors. That lead to a sweet/tart if citrusy finish which picks up dried floral and sandy soil tones. Sophisticated and complex, this is delicious and fresh. 93
52. 2020 Vagnoni Vernaccia di San Gimignano Fontebuccio
Rather floral lavender on the nose, over a mineral base with hints of dried apple fruit. A bit broad and amply scaled on the palate. This is a bit sticky in the mouth, and then a bit raw on the finish. Disjointed and lacking harmony. With some jasmine, lavender and bitter herbal notes on the palate. 81pts
53. 2019 Casale Falchini Vernaccia di San Gimignano Ab Vinea Doni
Apricot, oak, and floral aromas emerge from the glass followed by a hint of orange pekoe tea. Offers up a nice blend of rounded, mature mouthfeel with appropriately aged fruit flavors,a little of that apricot from the nose along with a touch of caramel and a certain gentle creaminess that leads to a pleasant, pebbly and slightly austere finish rich with pollen floral notes. 90pts
54. 2019 Fattoria San Donato Vernaccia di San Gimignano Angelica
Rather autumnal and forest floor scented, with dried herbal, dried floral, and brewed tea aromas. A bit tired tasting early on the palate. Lacks much covering substance revealing lots of acid and some tannin with tired flavors that have little follow through. Chewy and tough. 73pts
55. 2019 Il Palagione Vernaccia di San Gimignano Lyra
Quite fresh on the nose with lots of citrus aromas paired with some butchers wax notes and a hint of green tea. Bright and quite ample on the palate, this has a lot going on with great depth to the very fresh citrusy fruit, though there’s not much else going on, a nice riverstone base and some green leafy framing notes, but this packs quite the fruity punch. It’s taut with fine acids and lovely clarity on the palate. This is the crowd pleaser here. So zesty and fresh with just the subtlest hints of quince and nuttiness lending some complexity on the very long finish. There’s just a suggestion of over-ripeness here that lends a moments pause. 92pts
56 2019 Montenidoli Vernaccia di San Gimignano Carato
Fresh but quite herbal on the nose with a deep sort of meatiness to the aromatics, and braised vegetal, fennel, and celeriac tones. Kind of severe on entry, and powdery with a hole in the middle here, and not much finish. Dusty and diffuse across the palate. Just a little less than pleasant. 78pts
57. 2020 Cantina Guidi Vernaccia di San Gimignano Riserva Aurea
Oak, cream, vanilla, and strong lemon verbena on the nose. Lemony on entry, and rather light and lithe across the palate. This is quite juicy and very focused though the finish. Tight with lovely texture but the oak notes on he nose are off putting. Still quite drinkable. If a bit tannic and dry on the finish. 87pts
58. 2020 Collemucioli Vernaccia di San Gimignano Riserva
Apricot fruit, soapy florals and gentle cedar notes greet the nose. A bit caramel on entry, certainly showing a touch of age and evolution. This is somewhat large scaled, but built on a decidedly mineral frame with a modest finish A bit astringent. 86pts
59. 2020 Il Palagione Vernaccia di San Gimignano Riserva Ori
Gentle caramel, wood spice, kiwi, and caper notes compete with the saline minerality for attention. This is sapid and juicy in the mouth, deep depth to the kiwi and slightly dried herb tinged flavors. Nuanced flavors combine with a very vibrant, faceted mouthfeel leading to a lovely, juicy mineral and citrus tinged finish. So Saline, lovely the vibrancy here. 93pts
60. 2020 Signano Vernaccia di San Gimignano Riserva La Ginestra
Wow this is oaky, massively so. The wood presence is more subtle on the palate, though there are creamy notes and lots of wood spice and a touch of vanilla almost obscuring the green tinged fruit on the palate and leading to a slightly woody modestly long, creamy finish. For what it is it is well made but the oak is simply excessive. 83pts
61 2019 Cappella Sant’Andrea Vernaccia di San Gimignano Riserva Prima Luce
Quite oaky on the nose but also showing good fruit and floral nuance. A bit waxy overall. In the mouth the oak is obvious but again fairly well balanced with the fruit here. There’s a light creaminess to the lemon curd flavors, and even a pleasant spice note on the backend which leads to a modest finish. Decent with an intelligent use of wood. 87pts
62. 2019 Casa alle Vacche Vernaccia di San Gimignano Riserva Crocus
Delicately oaky but without much fruit, just a touch of minerality to help balance it. Tight, small scaled, elegant wine. The oak is fairly well integrated on the palate, offering some spice and creamy notes but there is really only a sketched frame of mineral and pear scented wine here. Pleasant and small scaled. 84pts
63. 2019 Cesani Vernaccia di San Gimignano Riserva Sanice
Huge caramel aromas A rather large scaled but anonymous wine. Theres some tart fruit on the palate. Then the wood sort of oozes out. Chewy and tough going. 78pts
64. 2019 Fattoria Poggio Alloro Vernaccia di San Gimignano Riserva Le Mandorle
Buttery, waxy oak on the nose along with wood spice tones. Pleasantly textured but the flavors are quite oak influenced and paired with quite ripe fruits. Then the wood tannins clips the finish. Pleasant but no more. 80pts
65. 2019 Fattoria San Donato Vernaccia di San Gimignano Riserva Benedetta
The oak is well integrated here on the nose. Lending waxy nuance to the quince, almond and lemon rind fruit. On entry the wood is a subtle underlay to the fresh, ample yellow apple and quincy fruit. A floral note emerges on the mid palate lending complexity to the inner mouth perfumes. The wood tannins extends the finish slightly but it is quite long with a lovely mineral wash. Very fresh and light with the oak well judged. 91pts
66. 2019 Fornacella Vernaccia di San Gimignano Riserva Fiore
Fairly oaky not he nose, spicy oak, with lemon and leafy green herbal grace note. Fairly big on the palate, deep, a little chewy with quite a smoky top note across the palate. Less detail than I would like from the lemon and apple toned fruit, with a rather modest finish. 87pts
Here’s how things looked last year:
Wine with repeated high scores.
Tenuta Le Calcinaie Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Signano Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Tenuta La Vigna Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Montenidoli Tradizionale Vernaccia di San Gimignano Selezione
Fontaleoni Vernaccia di San Gimignano
La Lastra Vernaccia di San Gimignano
In addition the following producers have appeared more than once on my favorites list, though with different bottlings.
Guicciardini Strozzi
Fattoria di Fugnano
Cappella Sant'Andrea
And finally the only wine to make my top recommendation list in all three years, and a wine that stands in stark contrast to the previous wine, all more traditionally styled and leaning towards the crisp, mineral end of the Vernaccia spectrum, we have:
Il Colombaio di Santa Chiara L’Albereta Vernaccia di San Gimignano Riserva
So how does this year’s line-up fare? One note to keep in mind is that not every wine is presented every year, so that does cause some discontinuity, but having said that let’s look at the scores of this years entrants
Tenuta Le Calcinaie Vernaccia di San Gimignano 96pts
Signano Vernaccia di San Gimignano 93pts
Tenuta La Vigna Vernaccia di San Gimignano 76pts
Montenidoli Tradizionale Vernaccia di San Gimignano Selezione N/A
Fontaleoni Vernaccia di San Gimignano N/A
La Lastra Vernaccia di San Gimignano 84pts
In addition the following producers have appeared more than once on my favorites list, though with different bottlings.
Guicciardini Strozzi
2021 Guicciardini Strozzi Vernaccia di San Gimignano Villa Cusona 80pts
2021 Guicciardini Strozzi Vernaccia di San Gimignano Titolato Strozzi 88pts
Fattoria di Fugnano
2021 Fattoria di Fugnano Vernaccia di San Gimignano Da Fugnano 87pts
2020 Fattoria di Fugnano Vernaccia di San Gimignano Donna Gina 92pts
Cappella Sant'Andrea
2021 Cappella Sant'Andrea Vernaccia di San Gimignano 85pts
2019 Cappella Sant’Andrea Vernaccia di San Gimignano Riserva Prima Luce 87pts
2020 Cappella Sant’Andrea Vernaccia di San Gimignano Rialto 74pts
Il Colombaio di Santa Chiara L’Albereta Vernaccia di San Gimignano Riserva
Which was not tasted this year, though another, similar wine was submitted, with excellent results.
2020 Il Colombaio di Santa Chiara Vernaccia di San Gimignano Campo della Pieve 95pts.
Well, that’s all fairly confusing, but it does whittle down the list of star performers a bit. Looks like my short list should include:
Tenuta Le Calcinaie
Signano
Il Colombaio di Santa Chiara
Though to these I would add in this year’s consistently good Casa Falchini, my top scoring wine the 2021 Collemucioli Vernaccia di San Gimignano Madre Terra, Geografico’s excellent Vernaccia di San Gimignano Borgo alla Terra, Il Palagione’s very strong showings with Hydra, Lyra, and Riserva Ori deserve special mention, and the 2020 Terre di Severnaja Vernaccia di San Gimignano Viti Sparse should not be missed!
I could say that I am just a bit disappointed by the lack of consistency among these wines, but this being a blind tasting, it is what it is. There are some uncontrollable variables at play here, the tasting order, the temperature of the wines throughout the day, the time the bottle has been opened that must be accounted for, but do no lend themselves to such accounting.
So it is what it is, which brings me to the disappointing showing for all three Montenidoli wines. Always divisive, though I usually find them more attractive as a group, if rarely consistent. I look forward to the opportunity to try the trio again next year to see if the results are similar, then to try and figure out if the wines have changed or if my palate has.
That is of course a tricky part of all this. We presume that our palates are consistent and relatively infallible. The truth is quite to the contrary of course. They are variable and ever changing. Which is why I do like to compare the years reports and identify the consistent winners, fore they must be doing something right in order to overcome all these variables.
I won’t go through my preferences here again, they can found in prior reports, but i will say that I am happy to see so many good wines coming out of the region. White wines in Italy’s red wine regions have historically been considered little more than an afterthought. The revolution in wine, sparked by disparate events that include climate change, preservation of indigenous varieties, and exploitation of underserved market niches have field a boom in “new” white wines. Those new wines tend to receive an inordinate amount of attention from the media and sommeliers, both of whom are guilty of the pursuit of the novel instead of the good, I call to the stand: orange wines.
Well, I think we owe it to the old guard to pay more attention to what they are doing. Help them a bit before turning our attention to perhaps the more exciting stories of the rediscovered, the saviors, and the novel.
And I that note I present to you the list of wines tasted at this year’s Vernaccia di San Gimignano Anteprima blind tasting.
1 2021 Abbazia Monte Oliveto Vernaccia di San Gimignano
A bit candied on the nose, very sweet peach and melon aromas with a hint of talc mineralogy. A little polyphenolic bitterness early on the palate, a fair amount of body here, with some floral notes on the palate as well as plenty of melon fruit. Pronounced acidity cuts through the richness and leads to a fairly long, tart, steely finish. Assertive and intense, though lacks appeal beyond that. 86pts
2 2021 Cantina Guidi Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Delicate on the nose with aromas of dried hay, honeycomb and bruised apple. Delicate in the mouth as well with light gauzy fruit revealing stoney base notes through the bruised apple flavors. Pleasant and long with a fine blend of fruitiness, light bitterness, and lovely nuanced apple peel, and gently citrusy flavors. Lovely if subtle, could drink this all day. 90pts
3. 2021 Cappella Sant'Andrea Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Fennelly on the nose with light melon and sandy soil aromas, but mostly licorice toned. Light in the mouth, rather well balanced with good cut and a very linear feel, not much fat here but enough to cover the acid through most of the modestly complex finish. Ends with a pithy note and some peachy fruit tones. Not bad but not terribly interesting. 85pts
4. 2021 Casa alle Vacche Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Very soil driven with a hint of old wood even, prosciutto fat, a bit of saltiness as well. Juicy, medium plus body on the palate with good intensity to the slightly earthy, apple peel and floral flavors that finish strongly with good persistence accompanied by a very faint tannic imprint. This is very good if subtle, not the most complex but with terrific mouthfeel and on target flavors. 92pts
5 2021 Casa alle Vacche I Macchioni Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Passion Fruit aromas jump from the glass; this is exotic and makes me think more of Sauvignon Blanc than Vernaccia, Bright enough but also showing some heaviness on the palate. There a little less passionfruit in the mouth, more grapefruit with a very short finish. Atypical. 82pts
6. 2021 Casa Lucii Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Quartzy, stony and with gentle white floral notes, this is reticent. Sneaky, has some flesh to it, lots of dustiness on the palate, clean, slightly simple green fruit, green melon flavors are layered over a firm, steely and stoney base. A subtle wine that has some Muscadet like qualities, a bit saline and dusty on the finish as well. Lovely easy drinker with some mouth grab. 87pts
7 2021 Casale Falchini Vernaccia di San Gimignano Benozzo Gozzoli
Aromas of honeycomb and candied almond greet the nose followed by plummy yellow fruit. Quite aromatic in the mouth, a touch of forest flora, autumnal quality frames the small core of pear skin fruit. Very mineral and refreshing on the palate, a fine blend of old school winemaking and beautifully ripe fruit. Bracing, long stony finish. 92pts
8 2021 Casale Falchini Vernaccia di San Gimignano Vigna a Solatio
Intensely aromatic with notes of crushed stone, menthol, and green tea competing for one’s attention. Stony up front with great cut and energy in the mouth. Not a fruit driven wine, though some light melon notes and bitter pear skin notes show up on the mid palate followed by floral hints all leading to a very long, saline and stoney finish. A touch of lemon rind lends complexity. Just terrific energy here, exciting but at the same a bit challenging. 93pts
9. 2021 Cesani Vernaccia di San Gimignano
A little sour on the nose with hints of bookbinders glue, and chemical notes. Not terrible attractive on the nose. Better in the mouth with some bruised apple fruit, small scaled flavors, plenty of weight to the palate, not terrible but ordinary. 82pts
10 2021 Collemucioli Vernaccia di San Gimignano Madre Terra
Intensely aromatic with a fine blend of dusty white soil, dried herbs, yellow fruit wrapped in hints of green olive and white pepper. Fresh and pure in the mouth where the flavors are more subtle than the nose might suggest. But this is absolutely delicious and perfectly proportioned. There’s a touch of tannic mouth grab, Great acidity yet the wine is not tart, long, slinky, Complex and nuanced. As good as it gets. 96pts
11 2021 Collina dei Venti Vernaccia di San Gimignano Libera
Stone, bees wax, and menthol greet the nose. A bit large scaled wine, glassy and simple, and attractive for it’s mineral purity but there’s an aggressiveness here which suggests this needs another several months in bottle. It’s rather Chablis like, with underlying chalkiness, minerals and acid driven. With a fairly long slightly dusty finish. A bit atypical but still quite attractive. 90pts
12 2021 Fattoria di Fugnano Vernaccia di San Gimignano Da Fugnano
A bit stinky on the nose, stoney and muddy, with some prosciutto backnotes, Rather rounded on entry, this is a little diffuse on the palate, though it has a pleasant blend of melon and pear fruit, some slightly autumnal notes and good stony tones through on the long finish. Easy going and fun enough to drink 87pts
13. 2021 Fattoria Poggio Alloro Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Sweetly floral on the nose with a hint of roasted chestnut lurking, along with hints of cantaloup, almost red berried fruit, and white pepper. This smells enchanting. A little less pronounced flavors in the mouth basically mirror the perfumes. It’s more melon and has a touch of bitterness to offset the fruit, finishes on the shorter side. It is lovely, playful, but fairly delicate example of Vernaccia. 89pts
14. 2021 Fattoria Poggio Alloro Vernaccia di San Gimignano Il Nicchiaio
Melon, waxy and slightly nutty on the nose. With good intensity. Tense across the palate with more melon flavors along with some quince paste notes. Bigger scaled and a touch monolithic, though this finishes well, with nice drive to the mineral flavors. Seems fairly archetypal for what modern day Vernaccia is trying to be. Fruity, then clean, polished and long. 91pts
15. 2021 Fattoria San Donato Vernaccia di San Gimignano
A bit autumnal on the nose and slightly saline with green citrus rind notes and a hint of bay leaf. An the edge of relaxed though with enough tension and light tannic imprint to keep this taut across the palate. Clean, fresh finish offers up a blend of minerality and slightly autumnal green pithy fruit. Quite dusty on the finish. As much as the prior wine was archetypal for modern Vernaccia, this is what I recall as traditional Vernaccia. 90pts
16. 2021 Fattorie Melini Vernaccia di San Gimignano La Grillaie
Sweet on the nose with rose petal scents along with gentle melon fruit and a hint of cream. Bright on entry and quite floral in the mouth, with a slight astringency across the mid palate. Fruit is very delicate here, and fades quickly on the slightly austere finish. Fun to drink for its bracing texture, but not a lot going on here. 86pts
17 2021 Fornacelle Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Quite balsamic on the nose, smells of capers, and light green herbs. Light and easy to drink with a fair amount of flesh covering the acids. It’s a bit indistinct, but pure and clean, another Muscadet like example with some earthy character and faint citrus flavors on the backend. 85pts
18. 2021 Geografico Vernaccia di San Gimignano Borgo alla Terra
Intense on the nose with aromas of old books, preserved limes, bees wax, green olive, and hay. Taut in the mouth, airy on the palate with flavors that reveal more fruit than the nose. Melon, pear, and almond come together in the mouth with some weight but also good cut and a nice edge of tannins that help to support the finish. This is succulent and so persistent. Lovely to finish here with its blend of fruit and tannin. Could use a bit more depth to the flavors but is delicious and so fun to drink. 92pts
19. 2021 Guicciardini Strozzi Vernaccia di San Gimignano Villa Cusona
Smells of cherry blossoms, and slightly of red fruit with an almost Christmas like spice.. A bit round and tactile in the mouth, Doesn’t lack acidity but seems a bit to much RS. Short finish shows the acids, A bit dull. 80pts
20. 2021 Guicciardini Strozzi Vernaccia di San Gimignano Titolato Strozzi
Lemon drop, lemon blossom, such a pretty nose, with detail notes of menthol and dried tarragon. Light and fresh in the mouth, built more on mineral notes than fruit in the mouth, with a very light cover of sweet lemony fruit layered over the mineral base. Smells great but doesn’t quite deliver on the palate. 88pts
21. 2021 il Colombaio di Santa Chiara Vernaccia di San Gimignano Selvabianca
A touch earthy on the nose, dried melon, chalk, and almond hull aromas greet the nose. Juicy in the mouth, a bit middle fo the road with lemony and melon flavors. A mild stony finish. Very pleasant but a bit innocuous. 84pts
22. 2021 Il Lebbio Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Sour and faintly chemical on the nose with a sour nuttiness. Fairly neutral in the mouth. Tart, slightly earthy, with some sweet fruitiness on the backend that is rather vague. Unremarkable. 79pts
23. 2021 Il Palagione Vernaccia di San Gimignano Hydra
Light lemon drop and forest floor aromas on the nose lead to a lovely palate with good tension and faint tannin supporting a very deep, mineral palate. This is succulent and saline with terrific length. Melon flavors emerge with air and this moves from one strength to another. The fruit gains prominence. Really lovely and so vibrant. 94pts
24. 2021 La Lastra Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Slightly exotic on the nose with hints of kiwi and passion fruits laid over a slightly floral undertone. A bit dilute on the palate, pleasant with good minerality, but lacks some tension, and fishes very short. Pleasant with an extra point for the slightly dusty tannins. 84pts
25.2021 Mormoraia Vernaccia di San Gimignano Suavis
A bit of kiwi on the nose, river stones, and a hint of chive. Much more intense on entry than the nose suggests. Has a decent amount of flesh to it supporting citrus flavors with a green herbal top note. Not terribly distinct but complex and pleasant. Nice finish is pleasantly austere with an almond streak to it. A bit coarse but pleasant. 87pts
26.2021 Palagetto Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Odd note of saw dust greets the nose, followed by spiced cider apple fruit, river stones, and a hint of sweet lemon verbena. Sweet Meyer lemon fruit jump out on entry followed buy lots of juicy acidity leading to a modest, slight tannic finish. A bit aggressive and perhaps slightly disjointed but with some good fruit and structure. 87pts
27. 2021 Palagetto Vernaccia di San Gimignano Santa Chiara
Dried lemon rind, bay leaf, and a light fennel note greets the nose. A bit bitter on entry, with that suggestion of fennel growing across the palate. There's a nice core of lemony fruit here as well, a little ginseng emerges on the backend, with slight powdery tannins and juicy acidity leading to a long, lemon scented finish. Has an autumnal undercurrent to it. 88pts
28. 2021 Panizzi Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Polleny floral aromas and notes of butchers wax dominate the nose, along with faint orange undertones and a touch of bay leaf. A touch diffuse across the palate, this is really very attractive with lovely aromas and like flavors across the palate though I wish there was a bit more tension and length here. This is probably as aggressive as most consumers would like their white wine, It’s complex, fruity, and well structured. But for me it lacks the spark of excitement. 91pts
29. 2021 Podere Arcangelo Vernaccia di San Gimignano Primo Angelo
Simple of the nose and redolent of figs and fruitcake. Small scaled with mineral notes on entry, quite pleasant preserved citrus fruit flavors and that slightly caramel tone from the nose layered on the backend. No finish to speak of. Pleasant and simple. 82pts
30. 2021 Podere Arcangelo Vernaccia di San Gimignano Terra del lago
Rather menthol dominated on the nose though air does bring out a lightly lemonyness and some peppery undertones. Fruity and rounded in style. This is kind of seamless with a glossy feel to the palate. It lacks some detail but certainly seems to be very easy drinking in style, though it has a stickiness on the palate I find off putting. Not my favorite with an artificial sort of confected fruit. 80pts
31. 2021 San Benedetto Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Stinky, Smells a bit like ass. Grassy, green, mulch, On entry this is like the nose, a bit off-putting but it does pick up a ton of green fruit on the palate, kiwi, lime, and melon. There is no finish to speak of. Not much to recommend. 76pts
32. 2021 San Quirico Vernaccia di San Gimignano
At first floral, then this picks up shadings of passion fruit, lemon, and some green olive details. A touch relaxed in the mouth, very pleasant with some stickiness on the palate but lacking any real intensity to the flavors. It’s a bit dried herby and stoney through the modest finish. The palate is sort of a fainter echo of the nose. 85pts
33 2021 Signano Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Honeycomb, earth, worn wood, and almond notes greet the nose. Great cut with tart citrus fruit flavors. This is linear, and focused, showing deftly polished edges, in a super sleek yet still firm style. Good length with some slightly stemmy notes on the finish. Has an almost vanilla overtone to it in the mouth, with a gentle peachiness emerging on the finish. Peaches and cream over mineral notes. Lovely 93pts
34. 2021 Signano Vernaccia di San Gimignano Poggiarelli
Tight floral and ivy aromas greet the nose, with a menthol top note. Fruity up front with a nice blend of fleshiness and light tannic wash lending this a tender yet firm texture. A touch diffuse on the backend but lovely wine with intense floral character on the finish. Simple but attractive. 90pts
35. 2021 Tenuta la Vigna Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Smells a bit meaty, like salami, Not a lot going on in the mouth. Dusty, simple with an earthy core of fruit and that salumi note emerging on the palate with a modest finish. 76pts
36. 2021 Tenuta la Vigna Vernaccia di San Gimignano Etichetta Verde
Floral and salty aromas on the nose are followed by quince fruit and an almond accent. Bright and lean in the mouth, shows good energy here but is a touch diffuse through the mid palate and drops off on the modest finish. Really promising nose is let down but the lack of depth in the mouth. 84pts
37. 2021 Tenuta Le Calcinaie Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Lemon and a bit of thyme greet the nose followed by an orange rind hint and a bit of spearmint. Intense in the mouth, wow this explodes on the palate with both flavor and fabulous energy from the powdery tannins and juicy acidity. Decent length, if there could be a quibble with this wine. Just a wonderful balance of citrusy fruit, with hints of melon and pears followed by gentle dried herb, floral and slightly dusty flavors. OK, the finish is plenty long enough as it turns out. Perhaps too intense for easy pairing at the table but this is terrific. 96pts
38. 2021 Teruzzi Vernaccia di San Gimignano Isola Bianca
Almost with a dried ginger note early on the nose followed by tea, mineral, quince, and saline aromas. Fairly broad in the mouth but not without tension. This has a golden touch to the fruit, lemon, bruised apple, and melon toned, though pretty front loaded on the palate. The finish is modest, offering up some dusty minerality and some apple stem notes. Very pleasant and refined. With a nice interplay of sweet, tart, and gently bitter. 91pts
39 2021 Trollena Vernaccia di San Gimignano Lunario
A touch of sulfur greet the nose followed by a hint of iodine, pear skin fruit, and some tarry, licorice undertones. A bit sweet on entry, and just a touch heavy across the palate, this is clumsy and cumbersome. Fortunately it has no finish. 72pts
40. Vagnoni Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Another stinky wine. Masses of sulfur. In reduction. On the palate as well. Undrinkable. NR
41. 2020 Alessandro Tofanari Vernaccia di San Gimignano Ciprea
Quite apricot on the nose with strong quartz mineral, pollen flower and menthol framing notes. More delicate in the mouth than the nose might suggest, quite elegant and refined, with some tannic weight and well integrated if pronounced acidity. On the palate this is primary, all about its minerality, chalky and long with a succulence through the finish. Really lovely and firm wine with delicate and refined flavors. 92pts
42. 2020 Alessandro Tofanari Vernaccia di San Gimignano Astrea
Smells a bit of spicy wood followed by waxy notes, dried floral aromas and a strong fennel note. Ample on entry, with sweet slightly syrupy flavors early on the palate followed by slightly oxidized fruit flavors, formidable tannins and a dry, austere finish. Tough going, trying to make a statement but not enjoyable. It’s too tannic and too evolved, has plenty of acidity but lacks freshness of flavor. It is long though, and with he right food pairing could be enjoyable. 72pts
43. 2020 Cappella Sant’Andrea Vernaccia di San Gimignano Rialto
Very fruity, almost strawberry toned with a hint of backing wood spice. Lots of acidity balances out the generally very sweet fruit here. Seems to have a bit too much RS, lending this some stickiness on the palate. Though it’s t’s dry, and modestly tannic on the finish. Odd wine, tart, almost fleshy, then dry and austere. Not fun. 74pts
44. 2020 Cesani Vernaccia di San Gimignano Clamys
Spicy on the nose, and a bit green, with waxy fruit tones and a touch of mediterranean herbs. Rounded and ample on entry, with a softish, languid feel across the palate. The flavors are distinct, backed up with some tannins, leaning towards bitter apples and pear skins. Pleasantly astringent on the modest finish which turns more tannic with air. A rustic little wine which has it’s place. 88pts
45. 2020 Fattoria di Fugnano Vernaccia di San Gimignano Donna Gina
Smells a bit woodsy and gently tertiary. Dried flower, wood spice and dried fruit aromas grace the nose. Bright on entry, and rather vibrant in the mouth with a lovely purity to the yellow fruits. Some floral notes and a gentle wood spice wash lend further detail. All wrapped up with a slightly flannelly and moderately long finish. Lovely wine, a bit of sophistication. 92pts
46. 2020 Il Colombaio di Santa Chiara Vernaccia di San Gimignano Campo della Pieve
Very fresh with faint passionfruit notes framing a core of green tea laced almond and lemon rind fruit. Delicate on entry, but very well built, with a slightly chiseled feel and great freshness. Dusty minerality emerges on the midpalate, along with deep, well defined floral, citrus, and waxy flavors. Great poise and length with real energy on the palate. Love this, it’s so well balanced and so vivid. 95pts
47 2020 Montenidoli Vernaccia di San Gimignano Tradizione
Rather evolved on the nose. Leathery, dried spices, pressed flowers, dried apricot and quinine. Rich on entry, then thins out quickly, not much follow through to the initial rush of flavors. It’s rather evolved on the palate, with hints of dried apricot fruit, pollen, and distinct nuttiness, before this fades away leaving a fairly tannic imprint and bright acids. Interesting but not enjoyable. Too chewy and aggressive. 82pts
48. 2020 Montenidoli Vernaccia di San Gimignano Fiore
Sandy soil tones, dried vegetal notes, pollen florals and aromas of dried citrus pith great the nose. In the mouth this is actually somewhat attractive. The lack of freshness to the flavor profile is off-putting, but this is rather well balanced, if firm. Lots of Quincy fruit on the palate along with tea and almost tobacco tones. Tastes too old and feels too young. 81pts
49 2020 Mormoraia Vernaccia di San Gimignano Ostrea
Very pretty on the nose, delicate with floral nuance and sandy soil tones over a core of marzipan tinged apricot fruit. Juicy, vivid up front with a sweet/tart note on entry. It’s a bit of a simple wine, pleasantly fruity and then tart and stoney through the fairly long finish. A bit of a quaffer. 87pts
50. 2020 Panizzi Vernaccia di San Gimignano Vigna Santa Margherita
Caramel, toast, and stones on the nose with a hint of lemon verbena. A pretty big wine on the palate, rich and loaded with slightly evolved caramel, dried pear, and dried herb flavors leaning almost towards a coffee tone on the backend. Fairly long finish, with lots of exposed acid. It is complex and interesting but too big for the fruit that remains and not very much fun. 83pts
51.2020 Terre di Severnaja Vernaccia di San Gimignano Viti Sparse
Lots of lemon verbena on the nose along with dried apricot fruit, dried flowers, ginseng, and a touch of rooibos tea. This is another denser wine but it pulls it off so well. There’’s fine structural support here, juicy acidity lending freshness to the citrus toned flavors. That lead to a sweet/tart if citrusy finish which picks up dried floral and sandy soil tones. Sophisticated and complex, this is delicious and fresh. 93
52. 2020 Vagnoni Vernaccia di San Gimignano Fontebuccio
Rather floral lavender on the nose, over a mineral base with hints of dried apple fruit. A bit broad and amply scaled on the palate. This is a bit sticky in the mouth, and then a bit raw on the finish. Disjointed and lacking harmony. With some jasmine, lavender and bitter herbal notes on the palate. 81pts
53. 2019 Casale Falchini Vernaccia di San Gimignano Ab Vinea Doni
Apricot, oak, and floral aromas emerge from the glass followed by a hint of orange pekoe tea. Offers up a nice blend of rounded, mature mouthfeel with appropriately aged fruit flavors,a little of that apricot from the nose along with a touch of caramel and a certain gentle creaminess that leads to a pleasant, pebbly and slightly austere finish rich with pollen floral notes. 90pts
54. 2019 Fattoria San Donato Vernaccia di San Gimignano Angelica
Rather autumnal and forest floor scented, with dried herbal, dried floral, and brewed tea aromas. A bit tired tasting early on the palate. Lacks much covering substance revealing lots of acid and some tannin with tired flavors that have little follow through. Chewy and tough. 73pts
55. 2019 Il Palagione Vernaccia di San Gimignano Lyra
Quite fresh on the nose with lots of citrus aromas paired with some butchers wax notes and a hint of green tea. Bright and quite ample on the palate, this has a lot going on with great depth to the very fresh citrusy fruit, though there’s not much else going on, a nice riverstone base and some green leafy framing notes, but this packs quite the fruity punch. It’s taut with fine acids and lovely clarity on the palate. This is the crowd pleaser here. So zesty and fresh with just the subtlest hints of quince and nuttiness lending some complexity on the very long finish. There’s just a suggestion of over-ripeness here that lends a moments pause. 92pts
56 2019 Montenidoli Vernaccia di San Gimignano Carato
Fresh but quite herbal on the nose with a deep sort of meatiness to the aromatics, and braised vegetal, fennel, and celeriac tones. Kind of severe on entry, and powdery with a hole in the middle here, and not much finish. Dusty and diffuse across the palate. Just a little less than pleasant. 78pts
57. 2020 Cantina Guidi Vernaccia di San Gimignano Riserva Aurea
Oak, cream, vanilla, and strong lemon verbena on the nose. Lemony on entry, and rather light and lithe across the palate. This is quite juicy and very focused though the finish. Tight with lovely texture but the oak notes on he nose are off putting. Still quite drinkable. If a bit tannic and dry on the finish. 87pts
58. 2020 Collemucioli Vernaccia di San Gimignano Riserva
Apricot fruit, soapy florals and gentle cedar notes greet the nose. A bit caramel on entry, certainly showing a touch of age and evolution. This is somewhat large scaled, but built on a decidedly mineral frame with a modest finish A bit astringent. 86pts
59. 2020 Il Palagione Vernaccia di San Gimignano Riserva Ori
Gentle caramel, wood spice, kiwi, and caper notes compete with the saline minerality for attention. This is sapid and juicy in the mouth, deep depth to the kiwi and slightly dried herb tinged flavors. Nuanced flavors combine with a very vibrant, faceted mouthfeel leading to a lovely, juicy mineral and citrus tinged finish. So Saline, lovely the vibrancy here. 93pts
60. 2020 Signano Vernaccia di San Gimignano Riserva La Ginestra
Wow this is oaky, massively so. The wood presence is more subtle on the palate, though there are creamy notes and lots of wood spice and a touch of vanilla almost obscuring the green tinged fruit on the palate and leading to a slightly woody modestly long, creamy finish. For what it is it is well made but the oak is simply excessive. 83pts
61 2019 Cappella Sant’Andrea Vernaccia di San Gimignano Riserva Prima Luce
Quite oaky on the nose but also showing good fruit and floral nuance. A bit waxy overall. In the mouth the oak is obvious but again fairly well balanced with the fruit here. There’s a light creaminess to the lemon curd flavors, and even a pleasant spice note on the backend which leads to a modest finish. Decent with an intelligent use of wood. 87pts
62. 2019 Casa alle Vacche Vernaccia di San Gimignano Riserva Crocus
Delicately oaky but without much fruit, just a touch of minerality to help balance it. Tight, small scaled, elegant wine. The oak is fairly well integrated on the palate, offering some spice and creamy notes but there is really only a sketched frame of mineral and pear scented wine here. Pleasant and small scaled. 84pts
63. 2019 Cesani Vernaccia di San Gimignano Riserva Sanice
Huge caramel aromas A rather large scaled but anonymous wine. Theres some tart fruit on the palate. Then the wood sort of oozes out. Chewy and tough going. 78pts
64. 2019 Fattoria Poggio Alloro Vernaccia di San Gimignano Riserva Le Mandorle
Buttery, waxy oak on the nose along with wood spice tones. Pleasantly textured but the flavors are quite oak influenced and paired with quite ripe fruits. Then the wood tannins clips the finish. Pleasant but no more. 80pts
65. 2019 Fattoria San Donato Vernaccia di San Gimignano Riserva Benedetta
The oak is well integrated here on the nose. Lending waxy nuance to the quince, almond and lemon rind fruit. On entry the wood is a subtle underlay to the fresh, ample yellow apple and quincy fruit. A floral note emerges on the mid palate lending complexity to the inner mouth perfumes. The wood tannins extends the finish slightly but it is quite long with a lovely mineral wash. Very fresh and light with the oak well judged. 91pts
66. 2019 Fornacella Vernaccia di San Gimignano Riserva Fiore
Fairly oaky not he nose, spicy oak, with lemon and leafy green herbal grace note. Fairly big on the palate, deep, a little chewy with quite a smoky top note across the palate. Less detail than I would like from the lemon and apple toned fruit, with a rather modest finish. 87pts