Pala Vermentino I Fiori 2011

Today another Italian wine! Pala Vermentino I Fiori 2011. This wine is from Sardinia region of Italy and comes from the Vermentino grape. Vermentino is primarily grown inItaly including Liguria, Toscana, Corsica, and Sardinia though it is believed that the grape variety may have originated in Spain. It is also grown in France. California has also adopted this grape on a limited basis. This is a late ripening white grape. Interestingly these grapes are often grown on slopes facing the sea (in Italy). This gives the grapes the advantage of additional reflected light from the sea. This positioning also creates a unique growing situation, the grapes receive variations in temperature from cool and breezy to very hot, which distinctly affects their development and flavor.

The Vermentino grape can show flavors of green apple, lime, pear, tend to have a pleasant and pronounced but not over bearing acidity and can have a distinctly mineral finish. Herbal aromas and flavors will also come through in some wines made with the grapes. People have also claimed that wines from these grapes taste of the sea. (I have to admit I can’t taste that one!) Vermentino wines pair best with seafoods of all sorts. If your making calamari, muscles, or fish, this is your wine, which is fitting considering the coastal growing location of the grapes. 

I find Pala Vermentino I Fiori 2011 to be quite dry and while I do tend towards sweeter wines myself I actually find this to be very pleasant. I can see why it is commonly described as crisp. I like the acidity level. I find it enough to be pleasing rather then overpowering. I do pick up fruity notes, but I have to admit I can’t identify them. (Others say they taste everything from apple to apricot, and honeydew? So I don’t know on this one guys.) I actually tend to love wines that have a heavy mineral finish. While I do pick up some minerals from the Pala Vermentino I Fiori I would say it is quite light. This wine also has the advantage of being reasonably priced. I would definitely recommend giving this one a try!