Vin Santo
What is it??
Vin Santo is an Italian dessert wine with somewhat unique production methods. The grapes are left to dry (raisinate) before being barreled to ferment. The desiccation process allows the sugars to be more concentrated, which results in the sweet, dessert wine quality due to high residual sugar content [1, 2]. The fermentation process often lasts more than four years. Vin Santo is also designated as a DOCG, or
This was our first dessert wine during WOTW. Ryan had never tried a dessert wine before, so we were excited to experience something new. We made banana bread to have as our food pairing, since it is suggested to have sweet, bread desserts with Vin Santo [2,3]. Primary flavors listed in the wine book are perfume, fig, raisin, almond, and toffee [3].
Molly's Rating and Tasting Notes
3.8. I actually never thought I'd say this, but maybe too sweet, even for a dessert wine. Strong raisin and fig on the tongue, molasses in the finish. Superb with banana bread.
Ryan's Rating and Tasting Notes
3.8. On the nose, lots of raisin, fig, and molasses. It is quite sweet and very much tastes like what it smells like. I am also picking up on some cocoa and hazelnut hidden under the thick, sweet surface. There is a slight bitterness, similar to that of a licorice, and a juicy acidity that makes the mouth water. To be honest, the flavor is so concentrated and sweet, I had to brace myself before taking a sip. I don't know how often I'll come back to this, but it's a good experience to have.
References
[1] J. Robinson (ed). "The Oxford Companion to Wine," Third Edition, Oxford University Press, 2006.
[2] Badia di Morrona website. https://www.badiadimorrona.it/prodotto/vin-santo-del-chianti-doc/
[3] Madeline Puckette and Justin Hammack. Wine Folly: The Master Guide. Avery - A Penguin Imprint, New York, NY, 2018.
[4] Vin Santo. https://winefolly.com/wines/vin-santo/ Wine Folly. Accessed March 2023.
Suggestion of what we should try next?
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