Cesani is an organic estate in Frazione Pancole in the north-west of the San Gimignano region of Tuscany, Italy. Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG and DOCG Riserva whites are made, as is a Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG red. The whites have become fresher tasting in recent years.
Owner: Vincenzo Cesani. His daughters are Marialuisa Cesani and Letizia Cesani (with whom I have been in contact by email). The Cesani family bought land in San Gimignano in the 1950s when it was going cheap, moving here along with others from their native Le Marche, creating something of a colony in the Pancole area.
Vineyards: 26ha of vines of which 14ha of Vernaccia and 11ha for red wines. The vineyards spread over three different areas which, although at most 2 km from each other, represent very different production realities with a precise identity: Pancole, San Paolo and Cellole. The wines are site-specific crus which are made and bottled as such. 4.500 vines per hectare.
Altitude: 250-350m asl.
Soil: Marine pliocenic deposits, sandy-clay, and tufaceous clay, well drained, not really stony.
– Cellole vineyard: Purchased by Vincenzo in the 1980s. Raised eyebrows because it is very stony and was covered with broom plants. The Cellole vineyard is this origin of Cesani’s flagship site-specific wines: the red wines Céllori and Luenzo. The vineyard is full of enormous stones, alberese and clay. It faces east and is at 360 metres above sea level. Great views. Sangiovese is the main grape. Colorino and Merlot are also grown here. Wines from this site include Céllori and Luenzo.
– Pancole vineyard: In Pancole around the winery buildings. The vineyards produce Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG and Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG. 300 metres above sea level, south-east and east-facing. Soils of marine origin, mainly sandy and very rich in fossil shells dating back to the Pliocene. Here the historical wines of the company tradition have always been produced: Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG Cesani, Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG Cesani, Rosato Toscano IGT Cesani, and Vernaccia di San Gimignano Riserva Sanice.
– San Paolo–Clamys vineyard: Località San Quirico in San Gimignano 2kms from the winery. 320 metres above sea level facing east-south-east. 100% Vernaccia di San Gimignano. Dates to the 1960s. Trained high on a double-sided cordon due to the strongly clayey soil of marine origin rich in Pliocene era fossils. Bottled as Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG Clamys since 2015.
– Vergaia vineyard: The Vergaia vineyard is located in San Paolo, and is separated from Clamys only by the provincial road to Certaldo, but is completely different. It is located 250 metres above sea level, faces east and has a purely sandy soil, with tuffaceousformations of great depth. The vineyard is surrounded by a forest and is near a stream, the “Broto di Vergaia”, which influences the mesoclimate. Planted with Vernaccia for Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG.
Organic certification: 2015 Full organic certification.
White wines
Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG, Cesani: From the Pancole vineyard. 100% Vernaccia di San Gimignano. Fermentation in stainless steel tanks with temperature control. 2/3 months on the lees. Bottling: February after the harvest. | 2018 The vines were over 40 years old. 2019 13% alc. Light, easy style (September 2021).
Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG, Clamys: From the Clamys vineyard (see above). Probably Cesani’s best wine. | 2018 L200/19. 13% alc. Stainless steel. 48 hours skin contact. 12 months on fine lees with lees stirring. Well made, smooth, round, softish and with tactile, well-textured fruit width from the skin contact. It’s a bright, very enjoyable wine, the nicely integrated touch of salinity it displays is consistent with organic practices and absolutely representative of the San Gimignano terroir (4 May 2021).
Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG, Sanice: 2009 Bottled. 2011 Bottled.
Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG Riserva, Sanice: From the best bunches from the Pancole vineyard picked 10 days or so later than the regular bottling (‘normale’). Needs bottle age. 1995 Debut. | 2015 100% Vernaccia di San Gimignano. 13.5% alc. Selection of the best grapes. Fermented in stainless steel. 12m in concrete vats on lees with weekly lees stirring. | 2017 14% alc. Liked this very much for its generous weight, a farmer’s wine of sustenance, seemingly slightly tannic with creamy lemony fruit (Feb 2021).
Pink wines
San Gimignano Rosato DOC, Pancole: From the Pancole vineyard.
Rosato Toscano IGT Serarosa: Sangiovese.
Red wines
Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG Cesani: From the Pancole vineyard.
San Gimignano Rosso DOC, Cèllori: From the Cellole Vineyard.
Rosso Toscano IGT, Luenzo: From the Cellole Vineyard. Sangiovese, Colorino. 18 months in oak.
Rosso Toscano IGT Serisé: 2011 Ciliegiolo.
Other crops: Olives, saffron.
Sales: Astrum (UK).
Contact
Cesani
Fraz. Pancole
Via Piazzetta, 82/DD
53037 San Gimignano (SI), Italy
Tel+39 0577.955084 | Website: www.cesani.it/en/