San Gimignano

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The territory lies within the Comune di San Gimignano, in the province of Siena, with hilly relief ranging between 67 and 629 metres above sea level.
• The soils derive from marine Pliocene deposits composed of yellow sands, locally known as tufo, and yellow and grey clays, often layered over more compact clays at depth.
• The vineyards are cultivated at altitudes ranging from 70 to 500 metres above sea level, with slope and aspect varying according to the hillside flanks.
• The climate is sub-Mediterranean, with rather dry summers, fairly cold winters, and rainfall concentrated in two periods: late autumn to early winter, and late winter to early spring.
• Mean annual rainfall is around 700 mm distributed over 83 rain days, with good ventilation throughout the year and rare occurrences of fog.

• Viticulture in the San Gimignano area dates back to the Etruscan period, with the historical production of red wine exceeding that of white wine.
• The earliest records of Vinsanto date to 1348, when a Franciscan friar used a sweet wine to ease the suffering of plague victims, giving rise to the name Vinsanto.
• In 1996 the first production specification was drawn up to raise the profile of the red wines and the Vinsanto, introducing red-berried grape varieties to complement Sangiovese.

• The San Gimignano red wines display a more or less intense ruby colour with a tendency towards garnet with ageing, and a dry, harmonious palate.
• The San Gimignano Vinsanto ranges in colour from deep yellow to golden, while the Occhio di Pernice style ranges from pale pink to deep pink through to amber-orange, both wine types being soft and velvety on the palate.

• The percentage combination of sand, clay, organic matter, and skeletal material in the soils is the defining pedological factor behind the enhancement of savouriness and the ageing potential of the appellation's wines.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

All appellations in Italy

Sources

• Specification (EUR-Lex, single document)
• eAmbrosia register (EU) — File number PDO-IT-A1464
• Official trade body site — Consorzio del Vino Vernaccia di San Gimignano