Azienda Agricola Malenchini Vin Santo del Chianti Organic 375ml 2020

Azienda Agricola Malenchini Vin Santo del Chianti is an organic Tuscan dessert wine made in the traditional passito style.

Malenchini is a long-established family estate in the Chianti Colli Fiorentini, the hills south-east of Florence, farmed organically across vineyards that have been in the same family for generations. In keeping with Tuscan tradition, white grapes are hand-harvested and dried on straw mats or hung in airy lofts over the winter months to concentrate their sugars, before being pressed and aged for years in small sealed barrels known as caratelli, where seasonal shifts in temperature shape the wine's depth and complexity.

It is a rich, honeyed dessert wine, traditionally served with Tuscan biscotti for dipping, or alongside aged cheese.

*Every effort is made to ensure the current vintage is accurate; however, variations can occur. If you are after a specific vintage, please contact us prior to ordering.

Type: Dessert Wine
Style: Full-bodied, Sweet, Oxidative
Grape Varietal: Malvasia
Tastes Like: Comparable to an aged tawny or a Sauternes, but nuttier and more savoury than either
Alcohol Percentage: 15%
Closure: Cork
Size: 375mL
Appellation: Vin Santo del Chianti DOC
Region: Chianti, Tuscany, Italy
Terroir: Organically farmed vineyards in the Chianti hills
Aging: Grapes dried on racks through winter, then fermented and aged for years in small sealed caratelli barrels
Serving Temperature: 12–14℃ – Serve lightly chilled

Azienda Agricola Malenchini farms organically in the Chianti hills of Tuscany, working with the traditional grape varieties and methods of the region.

Vin Santo is the historic dessert wine of Tuscany and one of the most labour-intensive wines in Italy to make. Grapes are laid out to dry on racks or hung in ventilated lofts through the autumn and winter, concentrating their sugars, before being pressed and sealed into small barrels known as caratelli. There the wine ferments and ages for years without topping up, developing the nutty, oxidative character the style is known for. The barrels are traditionally not opened until the wine is judged ready, which may be three years or considerably longer.

Biscuits: Perfect with cantucci, almond biscotti or amaretti
Desserts: Excellent with tarts of dried fruit, nuts or honey
Cheese: Pairs beautifully with blue cheeses and aged pecorino
Digestivo: Ideal on its own at the end of a meal

Gorgonzola Dolce: Sweet and creamy blue, a classic foil for the wine’s sweetness
Pecorino Toscano Stagionato: Aged and salty, the local pairing for the local wine
Parmigiano Reggiano: Granular and umami-rich, cut through by the wine’s acidity
Mascarpone: Rich and mild, complementing the wine’s dried fruit character

Cantucci e Vin Santo (Tuscan Almond Biscuits for Dipping)

Ingredients (Makes around 40):

• 300g plain flour
• 200g caster sugar
• 200g whole almonds, unblanched
• 2 eggs, plus 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Zest of 1 orange
• Pinch of salt
• 1 egg, beaten, for glazing

Instructions:

1. Toast the almonds in a dry pan until fragrant, then set aside to cool.
2. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, orange zest and salt in a bowl.
3. Work in the eggs and yolk to form a stiff, slightly sticky dough.
4. Fold through the whole toasted almonds, distributing them evenly.
5. Divide the dough into two logs about 5cm wide, place on a lined tray and brush with beaten egg.
6. Bake at 180℃ for 25 minutes until pale gold and firm.
7. Cool for 10 minutes, then cut the logs diagonally into 1.5cm slices.
8. Lay the slices cut side down and return to the oven for 12–15 minutes until dry and crisp.

This is the pairing every Tuscan meal ends with, and the reason cantucci are baked twice until hard: they are made to be dipped. Vin Santo’s dried fruit sweetness and nutty oxidative character meet the toasted almonds directly, while its acidity keeps the whole thing from turning cloying.