Vin Santo vs Vinsanto
Most people think of Italy when they hear “vin santo“, but what about when you’re making your way through Santorini’s labyrinth of tourist shops looking at Greek wine bottles labeled vinsanto. What’s the difference? History has the answer. Apparently in 1203 Santorini was sacked by the Crusaders and given over to a Venetian conqueror. Because of this, Venice’s strong wine influence made Santorini an important wine producer. These wines became extremely popular during the vast maritime trade between the Greek island and the rest of the Mediterranean and European countries because the wines survived the boat-trip due to their high sugar and alcohol content. Not to mention, the wine had great caloric nutritiousness! The shipments of wine leaving for sea were labeled “Santo”, in reference to their Santorini origin, and “vin” or “vino”, to describe the contents. That was the very first use of the name and its true identity, which is now protected by the European Union (EU). Italians make a different, often sweet, wine in a style called vin santo, historically known as Italy’s “Holy Wine.” This is commonly misunderstood as the wine’s birth origin.
The two “vin-santo” labeled wines are uniquely different. The Greek vinsanto is made predominantly from the Assyrtico (or Assyrtiko) grape and a small proportion of Aidani and Athiri grapes. These white grapes are left on the vine to reach high levels of ripeness before they are picked. Then the grapes are sun-dried for about 14 days, plus or minus. The shriveled grapes are concentrated with sugar and flavor, but produce little juice. Fermentation lasts for several months, and then the wine is aged for a minimum of 2 years in oak. The finished vinsanto is a naturally sweet wine of golden-amber color, 9-13% alcohol with pronounced acidity and flavors of dried fruits, sweet spices and minerality.
The Italian vin santo from Tuscany is traditionally made from Trebbiano and/or Malvasia grapes, while the vino santo from Trentino-Alto Adige is made from Nosiola grape. Both of these Italian regions harvest their grapes and dry them on straw mats for 3-6 months. The difference of these two Italian wines is the way they are fermented in barrels. In Tuscany the grapes are crushed, and the wine is left to ferment slowly in sealed barrels. This process is a labor of love and takes 3-5 years. Because the barrels are sealed and never topped-up, the resulting wine can be oxidized and characteristically similar to sherry, both in color and flavor. This commonly found, classic, Italian dessert wine can range from ultra-sweet to bone dry, depending on the sugar level before fermentation. On the other hand, vino santo from Trentino-Alto Adige is fermented in barrels for 2-3 years but the barrels are not sealed and the wine receives regular topping-up. This type of Italian vino santo is difficult to find and not well known. Most Italian vin santos you will find are from Tuscany and taste deliciously rich, sweet, and nutty. Perfect with an almond biscotti.
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