Montenidoli: Canaiuolo, Other Current Releases, and Some Much Older Wines

When Elisabetta Fagiuoli was starting out at Montenidoli, Giacomo Tachis told her that to make good wine you must also know how to cook. I don't know if she was already handy in front of a stove when he gave his advice, but she certainly is now, and invitations from her are to be regarded with a mixture of expectation and worry:

Expectation, because you will eat well, and worry, because you will eat much more than you should, and the meal will take longer than you expect, both because of the conversation and because of the number of courses.

The other thing Elisabetta likes to do is break out older vintages, and because of this, not only do you eat well, but you also learn something: We all know that Tuscan reds can age very well -- look at Brunello -- but few consider Tuscan whites to be ageworthy. A mistake, because they can perform most impressively if given time, and here Elisabetta is a pioneer, because she releases her wines when she thinks they're ready, not when those who only want whites bottled yesterday would prefer.

In the course of this lunch, which Elisabetta held in January, we tasted current and older vintages of a number of her wines, and finished up with a Burgundy she happened to have.

Montenidoli Canaiuolo IGT 2010
This had just been bottled; it's pale salmon pink paling to white at the rim, with some onionskin. The bouquet is quite fresh, with greenish vegetal notes and hints of gunflint supported by intense sea salt. Quite young, and very zesty. On the palate it's rich, with intense savory ripe but not overripe berry fruit supported by raspberry acidity and a gentle burr that has greenish notes of youth. Very pleasant, and will be nice as an aperitif in the immediate future, and be perfect in the summer months too, when you want something cool and refreshing.
90-91

Vinbrusco is a blend of Trebbiano and Malvasia Bianca:

Montenidoli Vinbrusco IGT Toscana 2000
Elegant ambery gold with brilliant tawny reflections and greenish highlights. Elegant bouquet with honey and deft minerality supported by rather languid acidity and slight butterscotch. Very nice, in a hot weather key,a nd beautifully balanced. The palate reflects the nose, with deft honey-laced minerality supported by pleasant languidity and minerality. Great depth and elegance, and will drink very well with greens and salads, or light soups, or simple fish. It has a great deal to say and one would never guess its age.
92-3

Montenidoli Vinbrusco Toscana IGT 2005
Lively brassy gold with amber highlights. The bouquet is rich, with vegetal notes and butterscotch supported by sea salt and some gunflint. Tremendous depth and elegance, with just the right amount of bitter acidity to provide direction and interest. On the palate it's extremely elegant, with bright minerality supported by savory acidity and some dusky tannins from grapes, flowing into a clean finish with lasting minerality and some bitterness. Beautiful, and a delightful expression of a cooler wetter vintage in which acidity comes more to the fore; it will bring greta joy to the table, and wiol drink very well with fish or white meats.
92-3

Il Templare is a blend of Vernaccia, Trebbiano and Malvasia Bianca:

Il Templare IGT Toscana 1999
Brassy gold with tawny greenish highlights. The bouquet is rich, with brambly honey and butterscotch supported by savory acidity and sea salt, It's clearly mature but very fresh, with lively savory lemon acidity and some bitter minerality with tannins as well, and flows into a clean bright finish with lively savory notes. A beautiful wine that has a great deal to say and is still very young, with the capacity to continue to climb for many more years. A fellow taster says the nose reminds him of fine Champagne.
90-92

Il Templare IGT Toscana 2001
Deep tawny gold with golden reflections. Extraordinary nose with vegetal accents and dry hay mingled with sea salt, eucalyptus, hardwood ash, and bitter honey; it comes across as simpler than it is because of its harmony. On the palate it's rich and full, with bright lively acidity supported by greenish minerality and deft savory accents that flow into a long savory finish with some bitter notes, which gradually fade. Beautiful, and is one of those wines that you will remember for decades.
93-5

Il Templare IGT Toscana 2007
Brassy gold with brilliant brassy reflections. the bouquet is rich and mineral, with deft hardwood ash and savory accents supported by gunflint and some sea salt. Very young, and very promising. On the palate it's deft and bright, with rich lemony minerality supported by clean bright savory tannins that flow into a clean savory finish. Beautiful and very pleasant to drink; it has great depth and if you want to seek facets you will find them, while your companions who are simply drinking the wine will drink it even faster. And it does have a considerable future, too.
90-92

Il Garrulo is the traditional Chianti blend, with white grapes.

Montenidoli Il Garrulo Chianti Colli Senesi 2008
This is unfiltered; it's lively pale ruby with black reflections and whitish rim, and has bright lively cherry fruit on the bouquet, supported by some graphite shavings and raspberry acidity. Quite fresh and still developing. On the palate it's bright, with lively cherry fruit supported by savory tannins that have a warm burr and flow into a clean savory berry fruit finish with underlying bitterness. Quite pleasant, and will be perfect with grilled meats fried meats, and will also work well with hearty pasta dishes and similar. Expect it to go quickly.
88-90

Triassico is Sangiovese

Montenidoli Triassico IGT 2007
This is something new, a Sangiovese in Purezza from the new vineyards planted on Triassic red earth soils, and it's still a work in progress (Elisabetta was able to procure barriques that are usually destined to Burgundy for it); production was low, in part because critters got into the vineyard and are much of the harvest, and Elisabetta has decided not to release this vintage. But it is quite promising: impenetrable pyrope with violet rim, and its darkness is also because it's unfiltered. The bouquet is elegant, with rich berry fruit supported by bramble and wet leaves with some tannic acidity, and underlying savory minerality, while a fellow taster finds fireplace, which can emerge in Sangiovese. Very young, and promising. On the palate it's full, rich, and quite mineral, with lively savory acidity and tannins that have a slight youthful greenish burr and flow into a long bright savory finish. It's a toddler stumbling about, but will be most impressive when it all comes together, in 3-5 years.
2 stars

Sono Montenidoli is Elisabetta's Flagship Red

Sono Montenidoli 1985
This was made from Sangiovese and Malvasia nera, employing the Governo Toscano technique. It's rich almandine brick with brownish reflections and some brick in the rim. The bouquet is elegant, with rich leaf tobacco and underbrush supported by savory accents and wood smoke. Fully mature and beautiful to sniff. On the palate it's rich, with deft savory minerality supported by savory notes and sloightly leathery accents, with pleasant herbal overtones and savory tannins flowing into a clean savory finish. Tremendous depth and elegance, and it ahs a wonderful story to tell. A stunning expression of one of the great vintages of the second half of the last century.
95

Sono Montenidoli IGT Toscana 2004
This is Sangiovese; it's black cherry ruby with cherry rim. The bouquet is quite elegant, with rich berry fruit supported by slight leathery notes and hints of smoke and fireplace, and underlying acidity and bramble. Fantastic depth and elegance, a wine that is quite young but that has a great deal to say. On the palate it's rich and full, with powerful berry fruit supported by lively berry fruit acidity and smooth dusky tannins that do have a youthful burr and flow into a clean savory sour cherry finish with underlying bitter accents. Beautiful though still very young, and though one could drink it now with a steak, it will very richly reward those blessed with patience.
90-92

Vernaccia di Carato is Elisabetta's barrel-fermented Vernaccia di San Gimignano

Carato Varnaccia Di San Gimignano DOC 1997
Brassy gold with greenish highlights. The bouquet is rich, with savory minerality and some spice and underlying vegetal accents shot with hints of butterscotch. Tremendous depth. On the palate it's ample, and fairly rich, with delicate languidity that flows into a clean rich, almost chewy finish. It's from an over-the-top vintage, and has a richness to it that derives form this. Quite pleasant, and will age well for another decade.
90-91

Carato Varnaccia Di San Gimignano DOC 2002
This was from a cooler, wetter vintage; it's elegant brassy gold with brassy reflections, and has a powerful bouquet with rich savory minerality supported by deft bitterness and acidity with some butterscotch, and hints of petroleum too. It's extremely fresh, and quite beautiful. On the palate it's rich, powerful, and bright, with rich minerality supported by gunflint bitterness and butterscotch that flow into a clean rather bitter savory finish that lasts and lasts. Stunning, and a beautiful expression of the 02 vintage, which was horrible for reds in Tuscany, but much better for whites than people realize.
95

Chateau de la Maltroye is an interloper from afar:

Chateau de la Maltroye Batard - Montracet Grand Cru 2002
This is a grand Cru de Bourgogne Cuvée Exceptionelle; it's elegant golden yellow with brilliant greenish highlights and brassy reflections. The bouquet is rich, with powerful gunflint and savory notes mingled with sea salt and some bitterness. Beautiful depth and elegance, and a joy to sniff. On the palate it's rich, with lively sour white berry fruit supported by clean sea salt, and bitterness with considerable minerality that has some sweetness woven into it, and flows into a clean savory finish with some bitterness. Quite elegant and with great depth, but with respect to the 2002 Carato it is coarser, and a fellow taster is more drastic, saying it's acidic and sweet. This is a judgment of today but does tell; I found the sweetness less problematic, but can see where he is coming from, because the sweetness does reduce finesse.
2 stars

Tasted at Vinitaly: Montenidoli

Elisabetta and Sergio - the passion and soul behind Montenidoli - and I are old friends; in addition to doing their website, I am a frequent guest at their home and was one of the lucky few invited to taste back through their older Vernaccia a couple of years ago. If I had ever harbored any doubts about Vernaccia's capacity to age, that tasting laid them to rest, and this year at Vinitaly Elisabetta decided to present a number of older vintages. Of other wines, and they were just as impressive.


The Wines

Canaiuolo Rosato di Toscana IGT 2008
Lively salmon with bright salmon reflections and rim paling to white. The bouquet is rich, with greenish raspberry fruit supported by underbrush and alcohol, with clean spice form grapes; nice balance and fair depth. On the palate it's rich, with powerful raspberry laced berry fruit that has some yellow plum accents, and is supported by lively acidity and clean light sweet tannins. Quite graceful, and will work very well as an aperitif, or with simple pasta dishes or risotti. Because of its rich fruit, it will also be nice with oriental dishes. Worth seeking out.
2 stars

Vinbrusco Bianco di Toscana IGT 2005
This is a blend of Malvasia and Trebbiano, and is brilliant brassy gold with brassy reflections and white rim. The bouquet is rich, with fairly intense rather bitter white fruit that includes pear, and is supported by greenish bitter notes, mingled with warmth and alcohol, there's a lot going on with many facets, and it's quite interesting to sniff. On the palate it's full, with rich white fruit supported by savory minerality and some greenish tannins that flow into a very long bitter white berry fruit finish. It shows considerable depth and complexity, and is one of those wines that will distract you from what you're drinking it with. In other words, demanding, and it will richly reward those who listen to the tale it tells.
90

Vinbrusco Bianco di Toscana IGT 2000
This is from a considerably hotter vintage; it's brilliant brassy gold with lively apricot-laced brassy highlights. The bouquet is powerful, with rich tart butterscotch laced with some citric acidity and warmth, with hints of mint and pear that provide depth. It's clearly from a hot vintage, but displays grace and elegance. On the palate it's full and languid, with rich white berry fruit supported by bright slightly greenish acidity that flows into a clean bracing finish in which acidity is joined by tannic hints. Very pleasant, displaying considerable depth and power in a hotter vintage key, and though it does suffer the heat of the vintage slightly, is a testament to what carefully grown Tuscan whites can achieve.
89

Carato Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG 2005
This is Elisabetta's barrel fermented Vernaccia, and it's brassy gold with white rim and brilliant brassy reflections. The bouquet is fairly rich, with clean bright bitter almonds and hints of gunflint mingled with greenish accents and slight savory butterscotch; it's quick to write, but displays considerable depth and elegance. On the palate it's full and languid, with clean bracing gunflint minerality laced with warm white berry fruit and some tannins that reveal oaky butterscotch accents and flow into a warm languorous finish that lasts and lasts. Most impressive, and one of the finest barrel-fermented Venaccias I know of. Even staunch traditionalists who prefer steel will find things to think about.
90-91

Il Templare Bianco di Toscana IGT 2003
This is a blend of all the white varietals in the older vineyards, and is brilliant brassy gold with brassy reflections and white rim. The bouquet is rich, with greenish accents and gunflint supported by bright acidity and clean bitter white pear and spice; it's quite graceful and a pleasure to sniff, offering many facets. On the palate it's full and bright, with ample fairly rich white berry fruit supported by savory notes and a fair amount of languid minerality that flow into a clean peppery finish. Pleasant, though the richness reveals the heat of the summer, which has also reduced the acidity some, making the wine a little bit softer than it is in cooler vintages.
2 stars

Il Tempare Bianco di Toscana IGT 1999
Brilliantgoldwith brassy reflections and white rim. The bouquet is rich, with greenish notes and vegetal accents mingled with bright acidity, and supported by minerality, gunflint, and some bitter white pear. Great depth and elegance. On the palate it's full and rich, with powerful gunflint laced white berry fruit with minerality and languorous fullness form glycerin that gains depth from savory acidity and flows into a clean savory finish. Quite nice, and superior to the 2003 because it has more acidity, which confers greater life and richness.
88-90

Vernaccia Tradizionale DOCG 2007
Lively brassy gold with brassy reflections and white rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with white floral accents mingled with savory spice and some bitter almonds, and warm alcohol as well. Quite a bit going on, in a deft, fairly muscular key. On the palate it's full and rather languid, with clean charged white fruit supported by deft acidity and by some warm slightly greenish accents with tannic underpinning that flow into a peppery finish with lasting acidity. It's ample, and charged, like a well muscled teen who is pleasant but hasn't yet learned finesse, and will drink quite well with hearty soups, rich pasta dishes, along the lines of a dried porcini risotto, and will also work well with white meats. Expect it to age nicely for at least 3-5 years.
2 stars

Fiore Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG 2007
Lively greenish gold with brilliant brassy reflections. The bouquet is deft, with greenish accents and almond skins supported by alcoholic warmth and minerality; it's quite young, but already displays considerable depth. On the palate it's full, with rich, elegant white berry fruit supported by greenish accents and spice from grapes, and by clean rich white berry fruit acidity. Very nice, and though it is already quite drinkable, will reward those who can give it a few years before opening it. One of those wines one hates to pour out at a tasting.
91-2

Il Garrulo Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG 2006
Livelydusky cherry ruby with cherryrim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with warm berry fruit supported by brambly acidity and by warm spice, while there is also dusky underbrush and hints of stable straw. Pleasant, though not for lovers of smoother, softer fruit driven wines. On the palate it's medium bodied-full, with fairly rich cherry fruit supported by smooth sweet tannins that flow into a clean fresh rather bitter berry fruit finish. Pleasant in a frankly traditional key, and will drink nicely with a variety of foods, from hearty pasta dishes through stews and roasts. If you like the style you will like it very much.
2 stars

Montenidoli Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG 2006
Lively cherry ruby with cherry rim. The bouquet is bright, with fresh berry fruit supported by brambles, clean spice, with some graphite shaving bitterness, jammy warmth, India ink, and a fair amount o alcohol. Still quite young. On the palate it's full and rich, with deft red berry fruit supported by bright sour berry fruit acidity and by smooth sweet tannins that flow into a warm rather tannic finish. Pleasant, in a slightly rustic key, and you have to like the style -- lovers of studied Merlot won't be happy with it. If you are of more robust tastes, it will drink quite well with succulent red meats and light stews.
2 stars

Sono Montenidoli Rosso di Toscana IGT 2001
Deep pigeon blood ruby with black cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with cherry plum fruit supported by balsamic warmth and deft cedar-laced spice. Beautiful depth and a delight to sniff. On the palate it's full and rich, with powerful cherry fruit supported by sour berry fruit acidity and by warm sweet tannins that flow into a clean bitter tannic finish. It's quick to write about, but elegant and has a great deal to say; if you're of traditional tastes you'll like it very much, all the more because time has begun to apply its polish, and even if you're more inclined to the international style you'll find muchto think about. Even more as it opens in the glass. Expect it to age nicely for many more years.
90-91

A Montenidoli Vernaccia Vertical, and an Extraordinary Chianti

Chronicles say that when San Gimignano was struck by one of the many plagues that swept Italy in the middle ages, they called for help and paid for it in kind, with saffron and Vernaccia. It's certainly possible; Vernaccia is mentioned in the Ordinamenti delle Gabelle (tax regulations) San Gimignano published in the 1200s, and Michelangelo Buonarroti the Younger noted at one point that it "kisses, licks, bites, pinches and stings." Not the sort of thing that will leave one indifferent, and its glorious past is one of the major reasons Vernaccia di San Gimignano became Italy's first DOC wine, in 1966.

Unfortunately, being cast into the spotlight did little for the wine. Its sudden notoriety attracted enologists, who made what studies told them the public wanted, with the result that Vernaccia became a light, spritzy thing that was perfect for the millions of people who come to see the city's towers every year, and wanted to take home a couple of bottles as a souvenir. But it did little to excite the interest of serious wine drinkers.

However, even the spritziest of Vernaccia does have the capacity to age, as we discovered a couple of years ago at a tasting organized by the Consorzio della Vernaccia di San Gimignano: we worked back through a series of Vernaccia Riserva and similar, to wines made by Pietrafitta in the 1970s, when aging white wines was the last thing anyone had in mind: by the beginning of spring restaurateurs and wine merchants were already asking for the new vintage made in the fall, and whatever was left over from the previous year simply wouldn't sell. For some reason the folks at Pietrafitta set them aside, and 30 years later, they were still with us:

Fattoria di Pietrafitta Vernaccia di San Gimignano 1975
Golden yellow that brings certain bodily fluids to mind, with slightly greenish highlights, and very slight cloudiness. The nose is fairly bitter, with gunflint and some smoke, also some petroleum, and mineral overtones. On the palate it's fairly full, and savory, with a fair amount of bitter almond and some acidity as well, though less than in many others. It is in any case defter on the palate than I might have expected.
1 star

Fattoria di Pietrafitta Vernaccia di San Gimignano 1974
Deep yellow with golden reflections. The bouquet is distinct, with pungent cut flowers and fairly intense herbal notes, with some sea salt as well and some underbrush, and with time balsam. Interesting though more obviously gives an impression of greater age than some of the others. On the palate it's very much alive though obviously well along, with gunflint bitterness, and pleasing savory tannic underpinning. Long rather bitter finish, and it has quite a bit to say. It's rather like looking at an elderly woman and seeing flashes of her youthful beauty.
2 stars

The Vernaccia Elisabetta Fagiuoli makes at Montenidoli is a very different animal.

She is from the Valpolicella, in the Veneto, and cheerfully admits that when she bought Montenidoli the late 1960s and decided to make wine, as far as she was concerned red was the only way to go. So her first was a Chianti di San Gimignano DOC. However, with the passage of time she found herself fascinated by Vernaccia, San Gimignano's traditional white varietal, and planted some; her first vintage was 1984, and, unlike many of her neighbors, she made it in purezza, without any of the "complementary" varietals that the Disciplinare allows. She liked it, and began a long voyage of discovery, which ultimately resulted in the three distinct Vernaccias she now makes:

• Vernaccia Tradizionale, fermented in cement tanks, with extended maceration of the skins to draw the most from the grapes. It's quite extracted, and tends to be a fairly deep gold, and can be quite charged, especially in a good vintage. It brings back good memories and is very nice with foods.
• Vernaccia Fiore, from free-run must (what runs from the press before it's turned on). It ferments in cement tanks, and though not as charged as the Tradizionale, does display beautiful concentration and great finesse, especially in good vintages. Of the three, my favorite.
• Vernaccia di Carato, barrel-fermented free-run must. As a barrel fermented wine it's quite successful, and Elisabetta keeps the oak on a tight leash, allowing the fruit to come through. It is quite elegant, and if you like barrel fermented whites you will find it most impressive.

This spring Franco Ziliani, friend and colleague, asked her to organize a vertical, something that never occurred to me, because Elisabetta and I are close friends, and when I visit (I put her website together) I prefer to sit at the kitchen table and talk. She happily agreed, inviting a number of journalists. We started with some barrel samples, and worked back:

Vernaccia Tradizionale 2007
Barrel sample
Slightly cloudy gold. Intense bouquet with considerable gunflint and some very tart citrus. On p rich, full, with powerful minerality and underlying bitterness. Quite promising, in a very charged key.

Vernaccia Fiore 2007
Barrel sample
Pale slightly cloudy brassy gold. Interesting bouquet, quite delicate, with floral accents and very fresh Great delicacy, and on the palate it's quite rich, with graceful citric fruit. Beautiful wine, will be worth seeking out. Greater acidity and deftness.

Vernaccia di Carato 2007
Barrel sample
Pale brassy gold. The bouquet is delicate, with butterscotch and minerality. On the palate it's full, and softer than the Fiore, with clean elegant fruit. Softer than the Fiore, and this is also because of differences in the wood. Will be nice.

Vernaccia di Carato 2006
Barrel sample
Brassy gold with brassy reflections. Deft nose, beautiful integration wood and minerality, quite promising. On the palate full and rich, again promising, though there's an underlying softness to it. Great potential, but it's very much in mid-stride.

Vernaccia di Carato 2005
Elegant brassy white The nose is elegant, with butterscotch, laced with gunflint and some citric accents. Quite fresh and a delight to sniff. On the palate it's full, and rich, though a touch lighter than the 2006, with clean savory mineral accents supported by clean acidity. Deft, and also very young. Leaner than 2004, and this is the vintage at work.
88-90

Vernaccia di Carato 2004
Brassy gold. The bouquet is powerful, and much more fully developed than that of the 2005 - a year makes a big difference - with elegant butterscotch mingled with bitterness and some gunflint. On the palate it's full, elegant, and quite rich, with ample white fruit and some minerality supported by clean rich citric acidity, which flows into a warm clean acidic finish. Very nice, and though it spent considerable time in wood the wood doesn't mark it at all. Very nice. Ernesto Gentili quietly says, Questi son bianchi che vale la pena -- These are worth-while whites. Extraordinary finesse and it drinks very, very well.
92-3

Vernaccia di Carato 2003
Brassy gold with brassy reflections. The bouquet is rich, and slightly caramelized, with butterscotch mingled with hints of gunflint and spice, also white fruit. Quite nice, in a rather rich key. On the palate it's ample and soft, with powerful white fruit supported by moderate acidity and some savory accents that carry into a clean rich savory finish with some sweet accents. Quite nice, though it does reflect a hotter vintage.
88

Vernaccia di Carato 2002
Brilliant brassy gold. The bouquet is beautiful, with bright acidity and rich gunflint aromas supported by some savory accents and sea salt. A tremendous lot going on, and very exciting. On the palate it's a little leaner than one might have expected, but very bright, with clean mineral fruit supported by gunflint laced acidity that flows into a clean gunflint finish with underlying bitterness. Delightful, and has a great deal to say. Gambero Rosso awarded this wine 3 goblets, its highest rating, and it amply deserves them.
93-4

Vernaccia di Carato 2001
Brassy gold. The bouquet is rich, with butterscotch and some caramel, supported by some gunflint and hints of marzipan. On the palate it's ample and soft, with fairly rich butterscotch and white fruit supported by clean slightly bitter gunflint acidity. It is rich, but by comparison with the 2002 lax -- a bit softer and not as bright. Vernaccia comes out best in cooler vintages.
88

Vernaccia di Carato 2000
Brassy gold. The bouquet is fairly rich, with caramel, and warmth mingled with some wood smoke and some hints of fg minerality with underlying sweetness. Hot vintage. On the palate it's ample and soft, with bright acidity supported by clean underlying bitterness that flows into a clean savory bitter finish. Pleasant, though a touch soft, and this is due to the searing temperatures we had in August that year.
2 stars

Vernaccia di Carato 1998
Pale brassy gold with brassy reflections. The bouquet is powerful, with clean rich minerality laced with bitter gunflint and savory accents; it's very fresh, vivacious, and has a great deal to say. On the palate it's full, and rich, with powerful white berry fruit supported by savory accents and some bitter overtones, which flow into a clean savory finish. Very nice, and has a great deal to say. Exciting.
92-3

Vernaccia di Carato 1997
Brassy gold with brassy reflections. The bouquet is fairly rich, with caramel accents and some gold reflections; it's more charged than the 98. The bouquet is rich, with honeysuckle and some bitter accents with underlying honey and butterscotch. Quite powerful, in a rather muscular sort of way. On the palate it's ample and soft, with clean deft acidity, and it is elegant, but has begun to slide in a way that the 98 has not, and this is because it is from a hotter vintage. Not as good as the 98
2 stars

Vernaccia di Carato 1996
Brassy gold with brassy reflections. The bouquet is clean, with pleasant bitter gunflint minerality and some savory accents. Graceful. On the palate it's bright, with lively rich white berry fruit acidity supported by clean savory accents that flow into a clean savory finish. Very nice, and quite pleasant to drink.
88-90

Vernaccia di Carato 1995
Brassy gold, with clean brassy highlights. The bouquet is eye-opening, with clean rich butterscotch aromas mingled with gunflint and some savory accents, also honeysuckle and hints of mint. A great lot going on, and very impressive. On the palate it's deft, with bright clean white fruit supported by savory accents, citric acidity, and clean underlying minerality that flows into a clean mineral finish. Beautiful wine, and a great delight to drink; you'll find yourself ignoring your friends and talking to the wine. Others at the table are also nodding their heads and smiling.
93-4

Vernaccia di Carato 1990
Brilliant brassy gold with brassy reflections. The bouquet is rich, with powerful butterscotch supported by clean rich savory accents and hints of menthol, with underlying alcohol. Very nice, and speaks to us over the bridge of years. On the palate it's full, rich, and elegant, with powerful savory citric fruit supported by clean acidity.
89

Vernaccia di Carato 1989
The first wine Elisabetta fermented in barrels
Lively brassy gold with brassy reflections. The bouquet is clean, with mineral acidity and some hints of gunflint supported by underlying bitterness. It's steely, in a way one associates more with reds than whites, and tremendously deft and exciting. On the palate it's full, and rich, with clean powerful honeysuckle fruit supported by some gunflint and rich minerality that flows into a clean fresh finish. Extraordinarily fresh, and a great delight to drink. One would never guess it's 18 years old.
95

Vernaccia 1984
This is Elisabetta's first Vernaccia; it's brassy gold with some greenish reflections, and one would never guess its age. The bouquet is bright, with clean minerality and underlying bitterness supported by some bitter accents. Great depth and the grapes show beautifully. Franco Ziliani is frothing at the mouth as he goes into ecstasy while tasting the wine. On the palate it's extraordinary, with bright citric fruit supported by citric acidity with beautiful mineral accents that flow into a clean almost creamy mineral finish. I'm running out of superlatives.
90

Vernaccia 1986
Brassy gold with brassy reflections. The bouquet is rich, with powerful clean gunflint supported by clean bitter accents; it's rich, and reveals greater understanding of the Vernaccia grape. On the palate it's full, and bright, with clean rich citric fruit supported by clean mineral acidity. Franco Ziliani is saying it's over the top, and he's right. Very, very nice.
93

Vernaccia Fiore 1990
Brassy gold with brassy reflections. The bouquet is bright, with rich gunflint laced with honeysuckle and bitter almonds with underlying savory accents. Impressive. On the palate it's full, and rich, with clean savory citric fruit supported by clean sweet acidity. It's quite elegant, but a little softer than the earlier wines, though nobody would guess it's entering its majority now. Most impressive.
88-90

Vernaccia Fiore 1991
Brassy gold with brassy highlights. The bouquet is impressive, with petroleum and minerality mingled with savory accents and some honeysuckle richness. Beautiful. On the palate it's extraordinary, with bright clean lemony fruit supported by clean slightly bitter citric acidity, and it flows into a clean savory citric finish. Extraordinary wine, and one would never guess its age were it to be presented blind. The stuff of dreams.
96

We tasted a number of reds during lunch, all of which were interesting and good. I only took notes for Elisabetta's first:

Montenidoli Chianti di San Gimignano 1971
Pale almandine ruby with almandine rim. The bouquet is haunting, with balsamic notes and warm acidity laced with savory accents and peppery overtones; this is quick to write but there's a great lot going on. Deft, elegant, and fully mature. Great finesse, and you would never guess it's close to 40 years old. On the palate it's full, and bright, with lively berry fruit supported by clean bright slightly bitter acidity that flows into a clean bitter finish, while the tannins are clean and smooth, with a slight angular burr that flows into a clean savory finish. Great depth, combining freshness with elegance and finesse, and (as I said before) you would never guess it's entering middle age. Franco Ziliani says it's the best wine of the day, adding that it's Fuori Misura, over the top, and displays finezza assoluta -- "absolute finesse." It was very good, I agree, but I found some of the Vernaccias to be just as exciting.
92-3

Bottom line: Vernaccia di San Gimignano, and especially Elisabetta Fagiuoli's, is a great delight young, but becomes even better if given time.