Vin Santo del Chianti Classico DOC is Toscana's classic dessert wine, made from dried grapes within the Chianti Classico zone itself, between Firenze and Siena. It is a sweet passito wine with deep roots in the area, and it is the result of a slow, patient production method that sets it apart from most other Italian wines.
The classic white version is based on at least 60% Malvasia Bianca di Candia, Malvasia Bianca Lunga (also known as Malvasia del Chianti) and/or Trebbiano Toscano, while other authorised white grapes make up the rest. Alongside it there is a variant called Occhio di Pernice, primarily based on Sangiovese, which yields a dessert wine in shades from amber to pink. Both versions are among the most characterful sweet wines you will find from this part of Toscana.
What makes Vin Santo special lies in its production. After the harvest, the grapes are laid out to dry indoors (or in the sun) for around three to four months, so that the sugar becomes concentrated before they are pressed. This drying process, appassimento, is the very foundation of the wine's body and sweetness. It is followed by a slow and natural fermentation that often stretches over months or years, driven by the changing temperatures of the seasons.
Maturation takes place in small traditional barrels called caratelli, which typically hold between 50 and 300 litres. The rules require an ageing of at least three years, of which at least 24 months must be on caratelli. It is a process that demands time and craftsmanship, and which explains why this wine holds such a prominent place in the Toscan wine tradition.
Vin Santo is classically enjoyed at the close of a meal, ideally in the company of almond biscuits or cheese. If you are curious about Toscana's sweet side and appreciate wines with history and contemplation behind them, it is a style worth getting to know.