Deep yellow-straw color; white peach, o tangerine, range zest, grapefruit, lemon zest, pineapple, salty minerality, jasmine, thyme, Mediterranean herbs on the nose and palate.
Dry (0,5 g/L RS); no appreciable tannins; lively acidity (3.36 pH; 6.0 g/L TA). Medium body. Tangy, spicy, polished. Blend of 90% vermentino, 10% other varieties. Grapes from Bolgheri’s prestigious Le Sondraie zone, five kilometers (3.1 miles) from the Tyrrhenian Sea (thus the saline minerality that provides a wow finish). 12.5% ABV
San Felice includes four famous Tuscany estates after the addition of Bolgheri in 2016, a renowned region some three miles from the Tyrrhenian Sea. With the Bolgheri addition, overall San Felice production reaches more than 1.2 million bottles—more than one million of Chianti, 80,000 of Brunello, 40,000 of Rosso de Montalcino, and 55,000 in Bolgheri. There are 20 labels, including this one. The full name is Azienda Agricola San Felice. All San Felice wines are made using estate-owned grapes.
San Felice winery is located in the heart of Tuscany and has a history dating back centuries. The estate is named for an early Christian saint and originally was owned by the Grisaldi del Taja family. That family was important in the formation of the Chianti Classico consortium, a key group in the history of Italian wine.
Enzo Morganti, a visionary winemaker who spent two decades researching sangiovese clones, purchased the estate in 1968. Morganti focused on high-quality winemaking and re-structuring the estate. In addition to refining sangiovese, he also help resurrect pugnitello, a forgotten grape, that became an iconic element in the estates wines. In the 1980s, the estate was purchased by Allianz Group, which owns it today.
San Felice is a leader in sustainable viticulture, moving toward regenerative and organic agriculture. The winery is self-sufficient in energy with solar panels and has reduced the weight of its bottles to minimize carbon emissions. Today, the estate includes a 1,853-acre resort that includes 445 acres of vineyards and a 44-acre parcel dedicated to experimental viticulture. It is a key winery in the Chianti Classico region.
San Felice’s Bell’Aja expansion represents a strategic vision to “make a leap in size, but also and especially in quality” in the Bolgheri region. The operation plans a new winery infrastructure and hospitality facilities. While the Bell’Aja estate operates independently in Bolgheri, it is managed under the San Felice umbrella.
San Felice Bell’Aja Bianco Bolgheri DOC 2023 is a vermentino-led, brisk, bone-dry white wine with smoothness, zingy acidity, and hints of sea spray salinity. Medium body with mouthwatering citrus and impressive structure. Bolgheri is most noted for its muscular reds. This attests the region and its winemakers can deliver noteworthy white wine, too. If you enjoy sauv blanc, you will enjoy this. $28-37
Pairing—Scallops, shellfish, grilled or pan-fried white fish (sea bass, snapper, sole, branzino) with lemon, olive oil, herbs; grilled or raw oysters, shrimp; fish stews and light fish soups. Herb-driven pasta dishes, linguine with lemon zest, parsley, some shellfish or clam juice. Lean white meats, grilled chicken, veal scaloppini with lemon, capers. Grilled artichokes, eggplant, bitter greens with olive oil and lemon. Cheese—Fresh goat cheese (chèvre) or goat-milk tomme; young pecorino (Pecorino Toscano); soft, fresh cheeses, burrata, fresh mozzarella, ricotta salata with drizzle of olive oil, lemon, or herbs.
