Our adventure begins in one of the most beloved places in Tuscany, San Gimignano: we are inside a true medieval fairy tale, where the tower houses pierce the sky and the visitor is overwhelmed by history, deserving of a rightful place on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1990. A city of merchants and precious spices (how can we not mention the typical, fragrant local saffron?), San Gimignano offers emotions to both art lovers and wine enthusiasts, who can enjoy tasting - one trip will not be enough - the numerous DOCG vernaccia produced in the area, with over 70 wineries registered with the Protection Consortium.
But to talk about wine, we must first speak of the land and territory: never before has it been about such a special, ancient soil;
Don't be surprised if you come across shark teeth, prehistoric shells, traces of fish, and corals.
Yes, because the sweet hills on which the proud city of San Gimignano stands, with its countryside expertly shaped by centuries of agricultural work, hold fossil treasures dating back directly to the Pliocene, which the wines testify to with their unmistakable minerality.
Leaving the towered city behind, we continue our journey north until we reach the locality of Casale, where we meet the Terre di Sovernaja winery: we are greeted by Federico Montagnani who, following the family tradition passed down for two generations, tends to his wines from vineyard to bottle with enthusiasm, curiosity, and vision. Needless to say, tasting the Vernacce from the estate brings great satisfaction: these are enjoyable wines, fresh, mineral, intense, and persistent on the palate: they seduce with floral and fruity notes, balancing the characteristic sapidity that makes every sip of “Viti Sparse” quite tasty. More complex, structured, and enveloping is the reserve “Assola,” which showcases great aging potential. And moving from the glass of white to that of red - be sure to try the IGP “Infrarosso,” the “Chianti Colli Senesi,” and the blend “9 Anime” - attention is drawn to a completely new bottle, the result of 100% vinification of white verdacchio grapes! And no, this is not a typo...
On the 15-hectare estate, of which 10 are vineyard, the Montagnani family was preparing in 2007 to make an important discovery. That this row of hundred-year-old vines with delicate, long, and green bunches, used for many years by their grandfather to make an excellent vinsanto, were not vernaccia, trebbiano, or malvasia, could be imagined; but Federico and his family never believed it would be an ancient Tuscan grape, disappeared since the 1960s and never found again until that moment. The DNA tests of the grape, conducted by the CNR of Conegliano in the first decade of the twenty-first century, however, left no doubt. Federico took several years to thoroughly understand the grape variety and obtain.
"Sovernaja", the first and only wine in the world made from pure Verdicchio.
Certainly, our visit could not conclude without getting to know this special wine better, the result of a limited production from the best vintages, totaling around 500 bottles. The winemaking process requires that 50% of the mass remains in contact with the skins for 30 days, while the remaining part is macerated for 6 months, without the addition of sulfites; aging occurs for one year in concrete tanks and for another year in bottles. With the idea of taking a dive into the past, we are preparing for a tasting of the 2019 vintage, which offers us a nose with fruity notes of apple and plum and hints of summer white flowers. The sip is fresh, flavorful, mineral, with a light tannic presence due to the prolonged maceration: a textured wine that leaves us satisfied and content.
Finally, we bid farewell, not without regret, refreshed by the very enjoyable tasting and the friendly welcome, increasingly convinced that to make a good wine, technique and a suitable land are not enough; skills, passion, traditions, and encounters are needed. We will miss the pleasant human experience, the family atmosphere, the shaded terrace overlooking the vineyards and San Gimignano, and the late summer breeze, at least until the next visit. Goodbye Federico!
