The Perfect Dip: Vin Santo & Cantucci

Vin Santo, translating to “holy wine”, is Tuscany’s beloved dessert wine.  It’s a wine that takes patience throughout its lengthy production and aging process.  It's not completely known as to how this wine got its name.  One assumption is that it was always a wine pressed during Holy Week and another assumption is that it was a wine used for religious purposes.  Regardless of its origin, its unique process and limited production make this a special wine worth seeking out to experience. 

I had been sitting on some wine notes from a Vin Santo I tasted years back from Montefioralle that I apparently had never shared.  Since Vino Travels celebrates its 13th anniversary this month and sadly I’ve never written about Vin Santo in all these years, I figured there is no better time like the present.   

What is Vin Santo? 

Vin Santo is a dessert wines that is traditionally known for its production in Tuscany.  It can be made in a variety of styles from secco (dry) to dolce (sweet), but the latter is what it’s most known for.  It is typically made using Trebbiano Toscano and Malvasia grapes.  The Trebbiano lends acidity to these wines while Malvasia lends aromatics and body. 

How is Vin Santo produced? 

It’s very lengthy and interesting process is what makes these wines unique.  Vin Santo is made in a passito style where the grapes are partially dried out, concentrating the sugars and allowing for more complex flavors to be produced.  The late harvested rapes are either dried out on straw mats, called graticci, or are hung for several months following the harvest.   

process of making Vin Santo - copyright of Montefioralle

Once the grapes are dried to the desired level, the rapes are pressed resulting in a small amount of sweet juice.  This juice is placed in small barrels called caratelli where the wine ferments and spends a long maturation time.  Usually the barrels are only filled to about 3/4 of the way to allow for some oxidation of these wines.  One unique feature to this part of the process is what is called the madre, which is a lees culture that is a deposit on the barrels from previous vintages, that initiates the fermentation.  The barrels are then sealed in non-temperature controlled rooms, called vin santaie, where the temperatures can fluctuate.  These wines will age for at least three years resulting in wines with complex flavors.    

Vin Santo is usually deeper in color from a golden color to a deep amber.  The flavors can be intense ranging from dried fruits, nutty, honey, spice, and orange peels with luscious, textured wines with high alcohol.   

Is Vin Santo only produced in Tuscany? 

No, there are other regions that do make different styles of Vin Santo as well, but Tuscany is the prominent region.  Within Tuscany you will will find several designations including Vin Santo del Chianti Classico DOC, Vin Santo del Chianti DOC, Vin Santo di Carmignano DOC, and Vin Santo di Montepulciano DOC. Although more rare, it can also be produced in a red version from the Sangiovese grape known as Occhio di Pernice, where it is ore pink in color.  Outside of Tuscany, Trentino is another common region producing these wines with the Nosiola grape.  You will also find some also produced in Umbria. 

Montefioralle winery in Greve in Chianti (copyright of Montefioralle)

The Wine - Montefioralle Vin Santo 

I’ve written about the Montefioralle winery some time ago.  It’s a family operated winery by the Sieni family.  They’re located in a small village after its own name, Montefioralle, in the heart of Chianti Classico in Greve in Chianti, a gateway into the Chianti Classico region only about a 30 minute drive south of Florence.  The winery has a small production on less than 10 acres of land. The winery has been practicing organic methods and has been certified since 2019.   

Sieni family - Montefioralle winery (copyright of Montefioralle)

Montefioralle only uses the traditional Malvasia and Trebbiano grapes in the production of their Vin Santo.  The late harvested grapes are hung on wooden canes in ventilated rooms for a couple months before they are sealed in barrels 3/4 filled where they age for 3 years.   

The 2014 Montefioralle Vin Santo del Chianti Classico DOC is made from 50% Malvasia and 50% Trebbiano.  The grapes are dried for 95 days and spend 3 years in caratelli.  This wine has a limited production of 600 bottles.  This wine was amber/burnt orange in color.  Aromas of dried fruits, raisins.  Full body and luscious in the month with a lot of nuttiness.  ABV 15% 

How is Vin Santo paired? 

Since I didn’t have the time to try my hand at making biscotti, I had to go with a store bought choice of an almond biscotti.  Vin Santo can be used as a welcoming drink or aperitif, but it’s traditional pairing is with smaller Tuscan almond biscotti called cantucci.  Consumers will take the cantucci and dip it into the Vin Santo.  That was my own first personal experience with Vin Santo as well.  It can also be enjoyed with blue cheese. 

In my pairing of the Vin Santo with the almond biscotti is was a sweet combination of richness in the wine and the nuttiness both the Vin Santo and the biscotti.  It actually created a hint of anisette as an after flavor, which was unique considering it was an ingredient in the biscotti. 

What’s your experience with Vin Santo?  Do you love it or not your top choice? 

You can find some options to taste Vin Santo for yourself  on Wine.com.

I may receive compensation for any wines purchased through the affiliate link in support of Vino Travels. 

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*This wine was provided as a sample, but opinions are always my own.