La Spinetta Vermentino

La Spinetta Vermentino is a dry white built on Vermentino, a grape that usually makes crisp, aromatic wines with a pale straw color. The details we have for this bottle don't include a vintage, alcohol level or official tasting notes, so what follows describes the typical profile of the grape and style. Expect it to be close to this, but not identical. Vermentino commonly shows citrus first, with lemon, lime and grapefruit peel, then green apple, white peach and sometimes a little pear. Many examples add a herbal or floral edge, such as fennel, white blossom or sage. A light saline or almond-skin bitterness often shows on the finish. Wines like this are usually light to medium in body with no tannin, and the acidity is bright and refreshing. Oak is rarely a factor, since most are fermented and aged in stainless steel to keep the fruit and acidity in front. The finish is typically clean and moderately long, with that faint bitter note adding grip. Serve it well chilled, around 7 to 10°C (45 to 50°F). Much colder and the aromas go quiet, much warmer and the acidity turns loose. It doesn't need decanting. Just pour it straight from the bottle. A standard white wine glass with a medium bowl and a slight taper will focus the citrus and herbal aromas better than a wide, open glass. Its acidity and salty-bitter finish suit seafood. Try grilled shrimp, steamed mussels, fried calamari, raw oysters or whole roasted fish with lemon. It also works with vegetable dishes built on herbs, such as a zucchini and basil pasta, a pesto-dressed salad or a fennel and citrus salad. Soft goat cheese and light chicken dishes are good matches too. This is a drink-now bottle. Wines of this type are usually at their best within a couple of years of release, while the fruit is fresh. Most aren't made to improve with long cellaring, so there is little reason to hold it.