Wine: White wine
Taste: From dry to sweetish
Volume: Strong
Min. alcohol: 16%
Mandatory Storage: Min. 3 years
Storage potential: Above 10 years
The grapes for this dessert wine are gently plucked between November 1 of the harvest year and March 31 of the following year. They are dried for a week in the open air or in custom drying rooms, and then pressed.
The grape composition is the same as with Elba Bianco, which is synonymous with the Trebbiano Toscana grape, locally called Procanico (50-100%), Ansonica and/or Vermentino (0-50%), along with other local green grapes (0-20%).
Elba Vin Santo has a straw yellow, golden or amber color. The aroma is ethereal, intense and characteristic. The taste ranges from dry (Secco) to sweet (Amabile), and is decidedly round and ample, especially in the sweet version.
The drier Secco must have a minimum alcohol concentration of 16%, of which 2% is residual sugar. Amabile must also contain 16% alcohol, though with 3% residual sugar.
Mandatory aging for both types is 3 years.
There is also a Elba Vin Santo Riserva in both versions, where the mandatory aging is 4 years.