In 1966, VERNACCIA was the first Italian wine to receive the Denominazione di Origine Controllata, a prestigious recognition given to the wine by the Italian government for quality. The wine, one of Italy's highest quality white wines, is produced exclusively in the territory of the Medieval town of San Gimignano, nearby Siena, a major tourist attraction known through out the world. The medium altitude of the vines is approximately 280 meters and the soil is sandy, clayey and calcareous The wine-making process in "white" follows the traditional style with a gentle pressing and low temperature in order to keep its exceptional fragrance. The fermentation, at a controlled temperature, has a medium duration of 12 to 18 days in either cement or steel vats.