Tasting Notes
Vernaccia is one of Italy's more underrated whites, and this is a cracking example off old vines up around 300 metres. Everything's done simply and naturally, gently pressed, wild fermented in concrete and left to sit on its fine lees for texture and depth. Those old vines and a late pick give it real concentration, while the mineral-rich soils bring a distinctive salty tang that keeps it fresh and drives a long finish. Textural, savoury and thoroughly moreish, it's a lovely reminder of just how good Vernaccia can be. - Pete L
Alessandro Tofanari and his wife Simona Orsini farm a small collection of vineyards around San Gimignano in Tuscany, with a particular focus on the region’s historic white variety, Vernaccia.
Alessandro began the project in 2001 at Podere La Castellaccia, and today works with a number of old vineyards, including Vernaccia vines between 40 and 70 years old planted around 400 metres above sea level. The vineyards are certified organic, with biodiversity and traditional farming central to their approach, and Alessandro has also worked to revive neglected old vineyards and historic practices such as vigna maritata, where vines are grown alongside fruit trees.
In the cellar the approach is similarly hands-off, with spontaneous fermentation, varying periods of skin contact and ageing largely in stainless steel or concrete. The wines are bottled without fining or filtration and with minimal intervention, producing distinctly Tuscan wines that feel savoury, textured and rustic, while retaining plenty of freshness and energy.
| Product Type | Wine White Other Varietals & Blends |
| Volume | 750ml |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Tuscany |
| Sub Region | San Gimignano |
| Winemaking Practices | Natural |
| Vineyard Practices | Organic/Biodynamic |