Vin Santo Wine, Explain Vin Santo wine, What is Vin Santo wine

Vin Santo Wine speaks to explain Vin Santo wine, what is Vin Santo wine and how is Vin Santo wine made and the history of such.

This wine also known as Vino Santo is a type of Italian dessert wine which are produced in the Tuscany region. Grapes usually used in the production of this wine are the white Trebbiano, Malvasia and Sangiovese.

They are known as straw wines because the grapes are usually dried on straw mats in a warm well ventilated area. The wine is indeed made from dried grapes and has been since early times. The wines produced can vary in sweetness from very dry to extremely sweet.

The wines are authorized as a Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) and Indicazione geografica tipica (IGT) in Italy.

The wine is reported to have started out as a Holy wine and was originally used for sacramental and religious purposes. To this day barrels used for aging of the wine are often marked with the Christian cross.

The grapes are usually harvested in September or October and the drying process known as dessication which allows the moisture in the grape to evaporate which allows the sugar to be more concentrated. The longer the grapes dry the higher the resultant sugar level.

When the fermentation process has started the wine is aged in oak barrels for a minimum of 3 years and sometimes as long as 10 years. Some winemakers use other barrels made from juniper or cherry wood. This method of aging imparts a somewhat different flavour to the wine.

It is a little known fact that if some producers are not happy with the resultant wine it may very well be converted into vinegar and sold as such.

The colours of the wine can be pale to dark amber and even an off orange colour with the flavours being described as nut or raisin like and hinting of honey and cream.


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