2008 Gilia's Vernaccia

These Vernaccia grapes were planted in a vineyard on the southern hills of Sonoma, Carneros. Wind swept and subjected to the moderate and cool temperatures of the Pacific Ocean and San Pablo Bay, grapes ripen slowly. Chardonnay is grown in a hillside vineyard in the Sonoma Coast appellation and produces a bright wine with a wonderful peach note.

Grapes were handpicked, de-stemmed without being crushed and immediately pumped to our tank press where the juice was gently squeezed from the berries. It was then pumped to a stainless steel fermentation tank where the wine was chilled and settled for two days. The wine was then racked (decanted) off the grape solids and inoculated with a pure strain of wine yeast. Fermentation proceeded at a cool 50 degrees F and kept in temperature controlled stainless tanks - seeing no oak aging - to showcase the powerful fruit of Vernaccia.

This is our first year producing Vernaccia. The varietal was thought to have been brought by the Etruscans to the San Gimignano region of Italy. There it is known to produce ripe and powerful white wines that during the Renaissance were considered Italy’s finest white wine and in 1966 it was the first Italian white wine to be awarded DOC status. Keeping with the Italian tradition, we have blended a small amount of Chardonnay into the wine.

Pair with grilled fish or seafood, pasta with cream sauces and prosciutto with melon.