Step #25
Stage #25 of Sommelier Wine Box (April 2020, led by Carlotta Salvini - best sommelier in Italy FISAR 2019 ) was a journey to discover the vineyards of Siena .
The landscape of this beautiful part of Tuscany is a continuous alternation of woods, holm oaks and chestnut trees, fir trees in the higher areas, vineyards and olive groves on the flatter slopes. There is no shortage of parish churches, abbeys, castles and small villages of distant Etruscan ancestry. Wine here still preserves the ancient peasant culture. In the vineyards around Siena, between San Gimignano, Montalcino and Montepulciano, one finds the purest Tuscany : that of great values, of old houses marked by time and of people who have always lived there, of wines of great personality and ancient flavours.SAINT GIMIGNANO
Among the sunny hills of the Val d'Elsa, San Gimignano rises, surrounded by thirteenth-century walls that embrace a medieval environment of intact splendor. In this context, the renowned Vernaccia di San Gimignano dominates, an indigenous vine with very ancient origins. In 1966, it was the first Italian wine to obtain the "Controlled Designation of Origin", a further stimulus for production which began to grow progressively in terms of quantity and quality, obtaining the DOCG denomination in 1993. The land in this area is rich of fossils (attributable to the Pliocene): a clay rich in shells and what remains of the ancient Ligurian Sea that lapped the Tuscan coasts. The result is wines with great personality, pleasant when young, which surprise with their aging capabilities, evolving complex and mineral notes - olfactory and gustatory. It is no coincidence that Vernaccia di San Gimignano is one of the very few white wines also produced in the reserve type.MONTALCINO
To the south of Siena there is an almost fairy-tale medieval village, surrounded by walls and dominated by an ancient castle, authentic architectural perfection. Once you reach the top on which Montalcino stands, a real spectacle opens before your eyes: a continuous succession of sinuous hills, ancient oaks, picturesque olive trees that meander through vineyards renowned throughout the world for the production of Brunello di Montalcino. Rosso di Montalcino is considered the "younger" brother of Brunello, equally produced with 100% Sangiovese grapes. Although it can be subjected to ageing, it is a wine from which you can expect a harmonious, fruity, fresh and vigorous flavour.MONTEPULCIANO
Montepulciano is a medieval town of rare beauty, an ancient village with Renaissance buildings, ancient churches, squares and hidden corners. From the streets of Montepulciano you can discover not only the city but also the incredible view of the surrounding countryside, all covered with those fabulous vineyards that produce the famous Nobile. Between beautiful landscapes and land perfect for the production of excellent wines such as Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG, this area combines traditional Tuscan charm with a more local character. The base of Montepulciano wine is the same as that of Chianti Classico, Orcia DOC and Brunello di Montalcino: Sangiovese, known as “Prugnolo Gentile”. Why this name? Because it is the perfect wine, the wine of the nobles and of all wines, the king. We have proposed these wineries: Tenuta di Sesta , Il Palagione , Barbicaia .
