Italian dessert wine: Vin Santo del Chianti D.O.C. 2005

Italian dessert wine: Vin Santo del Chianti D.O.C. 2005

Donatella Cinelli Colombini’ s Vin Santo cellar is under the roof of the 16th century villa in the centre of Fattoria del Colle in Trequanda in southern Chianti

Two rooms which are warm in the summer and cold in the winter where the amber sweet wine ages slowly in barrels of various ages and sizes: from 50 to 200 litres. The visitors can visit these rooms going up a staircase at the end of the wine cellar. Here one can see the old Vin Santo from Fattoria del Colle labels designed by Vittorio Zani, the graphic artist also designer of the Monte dei Paschi di Siena logo. On the walls of these rooms are splendid photographs by Giuseppe Cucco which develop a study regarding the image of food carried out by Vincenzo Pagano. The 2005 vintage had a variable climate which however permitted the production of fan excellent harvest whose distinctive characteristic was the very high acidity of the grapes. Traditionally every year the Vin Santo clusters are picked before the rest and are chosen one by one. Put into crates, which are piled one on top of one another, the grapes get moved every day according to the sun the humidity and the aeration. A very time consuming job possible only thanks to the passion that Barbara Magnani the cellar master has for sweet wines.

Type: sweet white

Production area: Tuscany, Trequanda, Fattoria del Colle.

Classification: DOC

Grape Type: Trebbiano toscano and Malvasia del Chianti

Vinification: the grapes were picked at the beginning of the harvest and left to dry naturally. After the vinification the grapes were put into the caratelli – special small barrels (which contained from 50 to 200 litres) for seven years.

Alcohol: 16% vol.

Quantity produced: 2000 bottles

Colour: intense amber yellow.
Aroma: very intense ethereal, with a clear hint of honey.
Taste: intense, harmonious, full and very persistent.

Match with: dry biscuits and especially with traditional Tuscan cakes rich in dried fruit and spices. We advise not to dip Cantucci into the Vin Santo, a practise which ruins the wine although it exalts the biscuits.

Serving suggestions: serve at room temperature, around 18 °C using wide smooth crystal goblets.

Home aging: unlimited ageing capacity can be kept for centuries. Keep bottles lying down in a dark and cool place (13°C) and remembering to have the cork changed every 15 years.