Maria Uchoa, from our sister site ‘Travel2Ireland’ is recently back from a gorgeous holiday in Sardinia with her mum. Lucky me, as she brought me a gift in the form of a bottle of Sardinian Vermentino.
Vermentino (“vur-men-teeno”) is a light-bodied white wine that grows mostly in Italy on the island of Sardinia. What’s exciting about Vermentino is it can be deliciously complex in taste in similar style to Sauvignon Blanc. Because Vermentino is so unknown, you can find high quality wines for a great value.
Vermentino is often bright, hinting at green apples and white flowers and acidic with notes of citrus fruits like grapefruit and lime. The Vermentino grapes are sourced from the Gallura region – where the vines are cultivated on Guyot trellises at around 350m altitude, and with a south-easterly exposure. The soil is a combination of loam and sand, with additional clay and quartz rocks. At the start of September the grapes are hand-harvested into small crates. They are destemmed and softly pressed at low temperatures, then fermentation takes place in stainless steel over a period of 15 days. The wine spends 6 months on lees, and a further 2 months in bottle before release.
As a dry white wine lover, this is right up my alley. While I couldn’t source the exact bottle Maria gifted me (Saraja Tarra Noa Vermentino di Gallura DOCG 2023), in Ireland, I did find some very similar ones.
The Pick: Su’entu Vermentino €21.95 (O’Briens Wines)
Sardinia, Italy, 2022
Description
This balanced wine from Su’entu winery showcases Sardinian quality. The island’s Mediterranean climate and sea breezes keep Vermentino grapes fresh, producing exciting, flavourful wines.
Tasting Note
Aromas of wildflowers, tropical fruits, and citrus. The palate features ripe citrus flavours and saline minerality on the long finish.