A sweet niche

Vin Santo has a fabled history as a sweet dessert wine from the island of Santorini that was exported by the Ottoman Turks to Russia, for the express use of celebrating Russian Orthodox mass. Some say the Venetians imported this wine for distribution throughout the Italian peninsula, and called it Vin Santo to identify the source of the wine as Santorini. The name is most commonly attributed, however, to a 14th century monk from Tuscany who, after celebrating Mass in Siena, would use the remaining wine to heal the sick and comfort the dying.

Whether or not you believe that story, this sumptuous wine has a wonderful pedigree. In fact, the modern production method has not changed in any great way—nor indeed have the varietals of grapes used in its production.

Vin Santo is also referred to as a straw wine, since the grapes dry on straw beds (most likely trays, nowadays) to concentrate the sugars and flavours. The range of alcohol in Vin Santo is between 14 and 17 per cent. The longer the drying process (up to four months), the more concentrated the result. The grapes are pressed and fermented in small oak or chestnut barrels, which contain a small amount of wine from a previous year. The wine is then allowed to develop for a minimum of three years, to a maximum of six, depending on the winemaker. The barrels are not completely full, and are exposed to a range of temperature from summer heat to winter cold. This means the wine is exposed to oxygen. That allows it to take on a deep, golden colour, with characteristic flavours of scotch toffee and hazelnut.

Vin Santo is a niche wine produced in Tuscany, using the time-honoured varietals of trebbiano, malvasia and canaiolo that produce an amber colour. In Tuscany, the sangiovese grape is sometimes used, producing a wine that is described as the eye of the partridge (occhio di pernice). Although the majority of Vin Santo is produced in Tuscany, it displays unique identities from production in many other regions of Italy.

It is an ideal dessert wine that can usually be purchased at the LCBO.

THIS WEEK’S PICK
It is always a joy to visit Domaine Darius, if only to be amazed by the carefully tended gardens that create an incredible welcome to a unique winery. Grower, vineyard manager, owner and winemaker David Gillingham creates wines that are so in demand that punters have to settle for limited quantity purchases.

Last night, Kimberly and I matched his 2013 Cuvée with roast lamb and a couscous salad and were blown away with memories of Languedoc. This wine is a blend of County gamay, cabernet franc and marquette that truly expresses an Old World-style wine— earthy and packed with dark fruit.

A limited supply of Cuvée is available at their winery, located on Wilson Rd.