Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG wine, a complete guide

Are you looking for information on the finest wines of Tuscany? Would you like to discover the suggested pairings and the peculiarities of Vernaccia di San Gimignano, one of the excellences of this territory to be savored slowly, perhaps during a stay in Borgo Tre Rose?

We have prepared a guide about this DOCG wine, produced in San Gimignano area, because we love all wines and we think it’s an excellent idea to deepen the history and uniqueness of each one, as we did for the Vino Nobile.

Origins of Vernaccia di San Gimignano

The first known references to Vernaccia date back to 1276, when the Municipality of San Gimignano (now in the province of Siena) instituted a tax on the entry and exit of Vernaccia wine from its borders.

Vernaccia became a wine appreciated by Popes, princes and historical personalities such as Cecco Angiolieri and Dante (who even mentions it in the Divine Comedy!), yet there was a period in which this wine was somewhat forgotten (around the XVII century).

In 1966 Vernaccia became the first Italian wine to get the DOC certification and since then the fame of this wine has grown internationally.
If you are wondering why it is called Vernaccia, the name could derive from vernaculus, a word which in Latin means autochthonous, that is, coming from a specific place; another hypothesis concerns the name of the Grenache grape.

Vernaccia di San Gimignano characteristics

The vine is white-berried and is characterized by large clusters, with an elongated pyramidal shape.

The berries are medium in size and have a shape similar to a disc, they are usually yellowish-green in color that tends to amber in the parts exposed to the sun.

The areas of production and cultivation of the vine are the provinces of Siena and Arezzo, while in those of Florence, Pisa, Pistoia and Prato it is authorized.

About the DOCG label, the vines must be cultivated and vinified exclusively within the territory of San Gimignano, a very limited area, in which the vineyards must rise on hilly terrain no higher than 500 meters above sea level, with good exposure to the sun, and the composition of the soil must consist of yellow sands and sandy clays.

Moreover, thanks to the characteristics of the grapes, Vernaccia di San Gimignano is one of the very few white wines also produced as a reserve.

As for the characteristics of the wine when tasted, Vernaccia is straw yellow in color, clear and limpid, but with aging it tends to acquire golden reflections; the perfume is delicate but intense, with aromas of white fruit and floral notes; the flavor has a slight almond aftertaste.

Recommended pairings with Vernaccia di San Gimignano

Vernaccia is recommended for pairing with fish-based dishes, aperitifs based on anchovies, rice, or pasta salads, but also with typical Tuscan dishes such as ribollita. It is also recommended with fresh or medium-aged cheeses and white meats.

About the right serving temperature, it’s 8-10° C for an aperitif and 12 ° C for a meal.

For information on other excellent wines, please check the other articles of this blog and the Wines and Cellars page dedicated to the wines produced in the Tre Rose Estate.