Vermentino di Sardegna: A great white at a reasonable price.

guido · Site Admin Joined: Oct 18, 2004 Posts: 377 Location: Italy

What in the good graces is Vermentino? It is a grape grown in Sardinia (Sardegna, in Italian), the island off the west coast of Italy. Don't feel bad if you've never heard of it, or never had a wine from that region. Up until the late 1970s, Sardinia was best known for producing nameless grape juice by the ton, which was then used for bottling jug wines. In the last 25 years or so, nearly all the vines in the region were uprooted and replaced, and the entire winegrowing and winemaking process was revolutionized under strict guidelines, aimed at producing lower quantity and higher quality.

The result has been exactly that, but so much so that very little of the quality wine makes it out of Sardinia. The crop yields have been so severely restricted (in the name of quality), the wineries cannot produce enough wine to meet even 50% of the demand for the island! Not surprisingly, very little makes it overseas.

But what does come out is very high quality wine at remarkably good values. The grapes Cannonau and Monica produce the best of the red wines of Sardinia, and Vermentino comprises the top exported white wines.

The better quality wine shops will carry "Vermentino di Sardegna" from one of two sources: Sella and Mosca (usually, the "La Cala") or Argiolas "Costamolino."

Argiolas Vermentino di Sardegna "Costamolino" has a clean, bright nose of citrus, and hints of herb and spice. In the mouth the same citrusy flavors are experienced, as well as some grassy/herbal touches; that makes a perfect complement to shellfish, oysters for example, . You can also match this wine successfully with simply prepared white fish, salads and chicken.

Last but not least, the price: you can find this wine for less than $10 in most stores (a couple bucks more for the Sella e Mosca). With both labels try to get a bottle as new as possible (2003 is the currrent vintage): this wine does not age well and taste better when it's fresh.
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In vino veritas!