Azienda Agricola Fontaleoni Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG 2008
Brassy yellow with brilliant brassy reflections. Looks inviting. The bouquet is fairly rich, with delicate herbal notes mingled with bitterness and the heather of a Tuscan field in the summer sun, while there are also savory accents that provide depth. Nice balance. On the palate it's fairly rich, with clean tropical fruit, pineapple laced with grapefruit, supported by bright slightly mineral acidity that flows into a fairly long grapefruit finish with underlying bitterness. Pleasant, and will work well as an aperitif with cheese or egg based antipasti, and will also work well with vegetable or fish based pasta or risotto, and with steamed or roasted fish. It grew on me.Score: 88
Azienda Agricola La Lastra Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG 2008
Pale brassy yellow with brassy reflections and papery yellow rim. Deft bouquet with heather and minerality mingled with some bitter almonds; it brings to mind a granite outcrop somehow. With more swishing delicate heather also emerges, as do some greenish accents. On the palate ample and rich, with brambly citric fruit that's a bit more languid than I expected supported by mineral acidity and by pleasant savory undertones that flow into a tart fairly savory finish. Pleasant, in a fairly rich youthful key, and will drink well with creamy first course dishes, white meats from sea or land, and will also work well with non-Italian dishes, ranging from eclectic American fusion through Chinese of the Canontese or similar schools.Score: 88
Azienda Agricola Fontaleoni Notte di Luna Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG 2008
Pale brassy yellow with bright brassy reflections and white rim. The bouquet is moderately intense, with minerality and some bitterness mingled with heather and slight underlying spice from grapes. Opens nicely, with greenish floral accents supported by sea salt emerging. On the palate it's fairly direct, with savory minerality supported by some bitterness and mineral acidity that flow into a clean citric finish with underlying bitterness that provides definition. A nice food wine, a bit tighter than some, and will work well with fish, creamy risotti or pasta dishes, and also has the werewithal to be nice with fried meats or fish and vegetables. Quite versatile, and will go quickly.Score: 88
Poderi del Paradiso Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG 2008
Clear bottle. The wine is lively brassy gold with brassy reflections and pale yellow rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with savory notes and gunflint bitterness mingled with warm sour acidity and some brambly accents. Nice balance, and there's something haunting to it. On the palate it's ample, and quite mineral, with savory accents and underlying bitterness that provide direction, while the acidity is also more mineral than citric, and it flows into a long bitter slightly tannic finish. Pleasant, and will drink quite well with creamy first course dishes, while it also has the wherewisthall to work well with white meats, from land or sea. In short, quite versatile, and will also age well for 3-5 years.Score: 88
Panizzi Vigna Santa Margherita Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG 2008
Pale brassy yellow with brassy reflections and white rim. The bouquet is bright, and ripe, with pineapple fruit mingled with greenish accents and some mint, and also strong herbal notes -- greenish bitter almond/crushed peach pit, and some honeysuckle. It seems quite ripe, and is charged too. On the palate it's ample, with rich ripe loquat fruit supported by minerality and mineral acidity with some underlying bitterness, while there are also peppery accents that flow into a distinctly mineral finish. It's not as powerful on the palate as on the nose, but is graceful, and will work nicely as an aperitif. Truth be told, it's more of an individualist than a team player, and I would almost be tempted to drink it by the glass.Score: 87
Casale Falchini Ab Vinea Doni Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG 2007
Lively brassy gold with brassy reflections and greenish highlights. The bouquet is ripe with floral accents and quite a bit of alcohol mingled with mint and nettles, some bitter almond, and underlying butterscotch that makes it feel slightly bulked up. On the palate it's ample, with bright slightly greenish citron fruit supported by greenish bitterness and savory accents that flow into a warm decidedly mineral savory finish with some underlying hints of butterscotch and balsam. I found myself rather enjoying it. A versatile food wine.Score: 87
Panizzi Il Bianco di Gianni IGT Bianco Toscana 2004
Lively brassy greenish gold with brassy reflections and green highlights. The bouquet is intense, and decidedly herbal, with artichoke greenness mingled with spice and some gunflint -- it's mature, and though it's quick to write there's quite a bit to say. On the palate it's ample and rather lnguid, with rich sour lemony fruit supported by greenish accents and minerality that flow into a clean greenish finish. Pleasant, in a mature key, and will drink quite well with flavorful fish or creamy white meats; is the sort of wine that creeps up on own, and I found myself enjoying it considerably. I would apso expect it to age well for at least 5 more years.Score: 85-7
Tenuta Le Calcinaie Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG 2008
Brassy yellow with brilliant brassy reflections. The bouquet is clean, and deft, with the heather of a Tuscan field mingled with slight bitter almonds and savory minerality. Graceful. On the palate it's medium bodied, with clean smooth mineral laced slightly brambly lemon fruit supported by minerality and deft acidity. Quite pleasant, and will drink very well with creamy, not too rich risotti, vegetable based pasta dishes, and delicately prepared white meats, from land or sea. You may want a second bottle.Score: 86-8
Rampa di Fugnano Alata Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG 2008
Lively brassy yellow with brassy reflections and pale yellow rim. The bouquet is rich, with considerable minerality laced with some bitter almond and underlying pineapple fruit and heather. Nice balance, and pleasant to sniff. On the palate it's bright, and rich, with lively lemony fruit that gains richness from brambly peppery accents and is supported by bitterness, which flows into a bitter slightly peppery citric finish. It's a fresh, lively wine, rather like a boisterous teen, and will drink quite well with creamy fish or vegetable based pasta dishes, with grilled or roasted fish, and also with white meats. In short, versatile, and will also go quickly.Score: 86-8
Palagetto Tenute Niccolai Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG 2008
A clear glass bottle. The wine is pale brassy yellow with brilliant brassy reflections and paler brassy highlights. The bouquet is smoky, with heather and fairly intense pungency mingled with bitter almond and underlying bitterness and slight hints of lathered horse. On the palate it's bright, with rich savory lemon fruit supported by bitter accents and minerality that flow into a clean mineral citric finish that again gains definition from some minerality. It's more complex and more mineral than some, and will work well as an aperitif with fish or cheese based antipast, though it will be better with fished based dishes, ranging from grilled salmon through more exotic fare, perhaps even kedgeree. I found it growing upon me.Score: 86-8
