Structure

Bodymedium
Acidityhigh
Sweetnessdry
Finishmedium
Oaknone or neutral

Drinking window

Latest scored vintage 2022: best 2023 to 2026.
vintage1 yrs4 yrs8 yrs

Critic scores

CriticVintageScore
Vinous reviewed 2024202290/100

Scores as published by each critic for the vintage shown.

In the glass

Medium-bodiedHigh acidityDryMedium finish

Aroma: green apple, lemon zest, almond blossom, wet stone

Palate: green apple, almond skin, salinity, white pepper

Textbook Pancole Vernaccia: green-apple and lemon-zest brightness with the indigenous almond-bitter finish and wet-stone salinity.

What it pairs with

  • Crostini di fegatini Find crostini di fegatini on TableJourney →
    Chicken-liver crostini and Vernaccia is a Tuscan local rite; bitterness of liver meets almond.
  • Lardo di Colonnata on warm bread
    Cured pork fat finds the wine's almond bitter and white-pepper lift.
  • Grilled white fish with lemon
    Lemon acid mirrors the wine's citrus; salinity meets the fish.

How to serve Cesani Vernaccia di San Gimignano

Allow 5 minutes from open to pour.

  1. Open and pour. Open and pour directly. No decanting required for this style.
  2. Serve at 8-10°C. Cellar temperature (8-10°C) is the band for this style. Warmer pushes alcohol forward; colder dampens aromatics.
  3. Glassware. Use a smaller all-purpose white glass: the bowl shape rewards the wine's structure.
  4. Pair with. Crostini di fegatini, Lardo di Colonnata on warm bread, Grilled white fish with lemon. Match the wine's structure to the dish's fat and salt.

History

The Cesani Vernaccia has been bottled since the 1960s from the family's Pancole vineyards 6 km from San Gimignano. Vincenzo Cesani and the next-generation Cesani sisters (Letizia, Marialuisa, Sara) farm organically across 22 hectares.

  1. 1951: Guido and Annunziata Cesani acquire the first land parcel at Pancole
  2. 1965: First Cesani Vernaccia bottling

Facts

Producer
Azienda Agricola Cesani · visiting guide
Grapes
Vernaccia (100%)
Classification
Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG
Oak
Stainless steel, no oak
ABV
12.5%
Price
EUR 11 to 16 at retail
Drinking window
1 to 4 from vintage
First vintage
1965

Frequently asked about Cesani Vernaccia di San Gimignano

What does Cesani Vernaccia di San Gimignano taste like?

On the nose, green apple, lemon zest, almond blossom, wet stone. On the palate, green apple, almond skin, salinity, white pepper. Structurally medium-bodied, high acidity with a medium finish. Textbook Pancole Vernaccia: green-apple and lemon-zest brightness with the indigenous almond-bitter finish and wet-stone salinity.

When should I drink Cesani Vernaccia di San Gimignano?

Drink 1 to 4 from vintage. Young vintages benefit from 30-90 minutes of decanting; mature bottles should be handled carefully for sediment.

What food pairs with Cesani Vernaccia di San Gimignano?

Crostini di fegatini is the canonical pairing. Other strong matches include Lardo di Colonnata on warm bread and Grilled white fish with lemon. Chicken-liver crostini and Vernaccia is a Tuscan local rite; bitterness of liver meets almond.

What grapes are in Cesani Vernaccia di San Gimignano?

The blend is Vernaccia (100%). The wine is classified as Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG.

Tags

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