UNDA Vermentino DOC 2021 [Bentu Luna] 75cl

Full Body, Dry (Vermentino). DOC. Alc 13.5%.

An exciting new wine from the Sardinian vineyards of Bentu Luna - sister winery of prestigious Lombardy estate Castello Di Cigognola.

17/20 Jancis Robinson.

This classic Sardinian white wine is made from 25 year old vines, grown in an important wine zone right in the centre of the island, then produced at the winery estate on the central West coast (in Neoneli in the province of Oristano).

This is a bold and complex wine - full of character. The nose is rich (white and yellow flowers, herbs, ripe stone fruit, almond skin) and those classic mineral notes give a lovely saline finish. You feel that 'salty breeze' influence, typical of Sardinian whites... as it takes you away to a memory of a beach holiday and begs for a pairing with rich seafood (scallops, lobster)!!

WINERY NOTES:

Vermentino DOC Sardinia. It has a broad nose, elegant floral, fruity and mineral notes that balance with an interesting acidity in the mouth.

Origin : small vineyard on the Oristano coast at 5 m above sea level on sandy and loose soil, characterized by a certain clayey presence, and a typically Mediterranean climate, characterized by mild winters with limited rainfall and very hot and dry summers, cooled only by strong mistral winds and the cool breezes that at night, blowing from the sea, release good quantities of mineral salts on the grape skins.

Vinification : After a slow and careful destemming of the bunch, we proceed with a careful and precise pressing of the grape. We proceed with the static clarification of the must and fermentation begins with piedespontaneo in 20 Hl cement tanks and terracotta amphorae. Process that lasts about 7/10 days during which light manual punching down takes place. At the end of the fermentation it continues with batonnage that allow to give body and volume to the wine.

No. of bottles produced : 6,500

LEARN MORE: Follow this link to a podcast by Wine For Normal People that's useful for understanding more about the SARDINIA region (important for grapes like Vermentino, Monica, Cannonau, Bovale)!

Finally, an excerpt from an article by Walter Speller for JancisRobinson.com says "Sardinia has become a hotbed of activity, especially the high plain of Mandrolisai, where many old and very old vines of indigenous varieties can be found. Only now is the full potential of this area being recognised with the recent and considerable investment made by the Moratti family, responsible for some fine Oltrepò Pavese sparkling wine. A brand-new cellar has been built for their Bentu Luna estate on Sardinia. Star oenologist Federico Staderini is involved in this new enterprise as well as with their Oltrepò Pavese sparklers. The first vintages of the Bentu Luna wines ... are truly captivating and amazing expressions of Cannonau especially – the best I have come across so far in Italy. Some of these elegant, complex and, I expect, long-lived wines come in at a whopping 15.5%, but you wouldn't know it."