VERNACCIA DI SAN GIMIGNANO, TUSCANY, ITALY. My favorite
Italian white wine. San Gimignano is a walled town set on a hill, a fortress
really, as so many towns in Tuscany are, located about 9 miles south-east of
Siena (my favorite city in Tuscany). It's not true when people say that I would
drink Tuscan dishwater and enjoy it, but it's close to the truth. I fell in
love with everything Tuscan: the landscape, monuments, manners, the food, and
the wine.
The Vernaccia white wine grape, a somewhat obscure grape,
was referred to as early as 1487; also, it is mentioned by Dante in The Divine
Comedy; so, it is an ancient grape. The wine is dry, medium-bodied, with an
oily mouthfeel, exhibiting aromas and flavors of citrus, and with - in what I
consider the best vintages - a hint of almond.
Just as Torrontes (Argentina) and Albarino (Spain) are the
signature white wines of their countries, Vernaccia di San Gimignano is the
signature white wine of - I won't say all of Italy - but certainly, Tuscany.
The three of them are truly distinctive wines. Taste and see!
ESTANDON ROSE', COTES DE PROVENCE, FRANCE. One of our most
popular rose' wines for the last three years. It is a good example of the
Provence style - the most popular style right now: light, dry, crisp, with
hints of strawberry and citrus. The grapes typically used in the Provence
region are Cinsault, Grenache, and Syrah. Just the wine for sipping on the
deck, by itself or with the lighter fare of the summer.