THE VERMENTINO OF TENUTA MONTAUTO

Like all grape varieties, Vermentino is a great interpreter of the territory in which it is born.

Tenuta Montauto's Vermentino grows on a soil of clay mixed with minerals, such as quartz, from vines about 15 years old. The sea, only 10 km away, and the altitude, about 250 metres, spill over into the vine, which expresses itself with a cleanliness and dryness characteristic of Tenuta Montauto wines.

It is precisely these virtues that have led us, over time, to vinify it in purity.

A choice we arrived at by noting the level of expressive fullness of Vermentino as well, rich in iodine and aromatic notes of citrus and, above all, aromatic herbs. An expressiveness that is also found alive on the palate, where it will be recognised for its sharp and snappy flavour, so typical of this sea-loving grape variety.

A wine for the whole meal

For all these reasons, this is a wine of great versatility. A wine that can support not only fish dishes but also vegetable and fruit dishes, such as the Maremma salad of fennel, oranges and black olives, and will be perfect as an aperitif.
At the table, however, it is a wine for the whole meal: easy to pair with both fresh cheeses and light cold cuts, such as pork loin, capocollo and bresaola, and a great ally of seafood, shellfish, crustaceans and fish, perhaps roasted. It is also perfect with first courses, such as the most delicate risottos.

FOCUS

Vermentino is the Tyrrhenian grape variety par excellence.

It grows and prospers near the Tuscan coast, in lower Liguria, in Sardinia and, outside Italy, even in Corsica. Its origins are unclear and, in fact, ampelographers the world over have questioned, and not infrequently even clashed, in reconstructing the history and spread of this ancient grape variety.

It is believed by many that it originated in north-eastern Spain, in Aragonese territory, precisely where, however, no traces of it survive to this day.
For others, however, his birthplace would be in Andalusia, where he was known as Listan.
Some also claim that it is a native of Portugal, where it is known as Codega or from the island of Madeira, since it has obvious affinities, both in terms of richness of colour and extract, with the local Malvasia.

In any case, from the Iberian peninsula, it spread first to France under the names Grosse Clarette and Malvois d'Espagne, then to Languedoc-Roussillon under the name of Piccabon, whence it seems to have finally arrived in Liguria and the area of the Apuan Alps. In Liguria, it took the name Malvasia Grossa, Carbesso, Corbesso or Carbess, while for some, Pigato itself is nothing more than a variety, a genetic modification of Vermentino.
Speaking of Liguria, it is fair to recall the opinion of some experts who are convinced that the vine originated here. And it is no coincidence, because it is precisely Liguria that boasts the largest number of vocated areas that follow one after the other along the entire western Ligurian Riviera, in the stretch from Bussana to Dolceacqua, from Perti di Finale to, in particular, Diano Castello, and in all four of the western Ligurian Riviera DOC areas Colli di Luni, Golfo del Tigullio and Valpolcevera.

From Liguria, then, it is safe to assume that it arrived in Tuscany and, following its coastal trappings, in Massa Carrara, in the aforementioned Apuan Alps, in Livorno, on the island of Elba up to the wild and perilous coasts of the lower Maremma.

Under the name Vemettino, however, it arrived in Corsica and then, in the second half of the 19th century, in Sardinia, specifically in Gallura, where it still gives satisfactory results today, highlighting specific varietal characters linked to this area in particular. Nevertheless, its appearance in Sardinia is still recent, dating back to just over the middle of the 19th century, with the first plantings being made precisely in Gallura.

What is fascinating about Vermentino, in any case, is its generosity to acclimatise in the most diverse territories. At the same time, its characteristics in terms of aromas and flavours distinguish it precisely according to the soils that accommodate it.

Having said that, Vermentino does not like the cold, so it is particularly at home in the temperate climate zones of the Mediterranean coasts, in defiance of the vulgate that once claimed that quality wines could not be obtained near the sea.

In fact, it is a grape that resists the salty winds of coastal areas very well, requiring a warm, sunny and ventilated temperate climate, with soil that tends to be dry and, as mentioned, close to the sea.

Ampelographically speaking, the pulp of Vermentino is defined as semi-aromatic. Aromaticity, however, is not really one of the characteristics of Vermentino, which, when vinified in purity, is assimilated to sensations of great cleanness and dryness that can recall almonds and, in the most particular cases, aniseed and, more rarely, white pulp fruit.

Favouring areas close to the sea, this grape variety exhibits marine and iodine scents, while at higher altitudes such as in Gallura where, however, it is always close to the sea, Vermentino acquires more complex aromas of aromatic herbs, citrus fruits and sometimes white flowers.

Most wineries prefer to blend it with Viognier, which, with its olfactory characteristics, contributes to implementing its aromatic set, giving it greater complexity and a tropical-like sweetness on the nose.

In any case, it is a blend and, as such, must be indicated on the label.

VERMENTINO COMPARISON

Sardinian Vermentino yields a full-bodied, aromatic white wine with a high alcohol content and an aroma of Mediterranean scrub and citrus fruits. Very intense.

In Liguria, on the other hand, Vermentino yields wines that are more nuanced, fresh and fruity, characterised by sensations of white-fleshed fruit, peach, apple, herbaceous nuances of wild flowers, sage and broom.

The situation is similar in Tuscany, where the wines usually have a distinct minerality and great freshness, and the nose is magnanimous with characteristic citrus and almond scents.