The Data

Country   USA

Appellation   Adelaida District

Varietal   Vermentino

Retail Price   $27

ABV   13%

Score   4.5 Stars/95 points

In the Glass

Brilliant, light gold/green color.

The aromatics are very intense offering scents of grapefruit and green melon with supporting notes of citrus zest, fresh herbs, and lemon grass.

The palate echoes the nose delivering a green fruit-driven core with flavors of white peach, guava, and apricot stone. The finish is long and lingering with notes of sea salt and citrus zest.

Medium-bodied and perfectly balanced with a vibrant texture.

Cool Factor

Tablas Creek is a unique winery in California seamlessly marrying Old World and New World winemaking and setting the standard for Rhone varietals in California. What could be cooler?

Value Grade

Selling in the upper 20 dollar range it's a jump up the scale from the cheap and cheerful Sardegna Vermentino but considering this wine is so outstanding and there are just 1,650 cases made we find it to be a good value.

Analysis

There is precious little Vermentino grown in America and that's a shame. Nearly every Sauvignon Blanc drinker loves Vermentino when they try it. Vermentino is typically high in acid with flavors of grapefruit, green apple, peach, and lime with hints of blanched almonds and spring flowers. The grape is native to Italy where it is utilized in wines from Liguria to Sardegna and locations in between. It is also grown in the South of France with great success and despite being Italian there are more acres of Vermentino in France than in Italy. Tablas Creek Vermentino grapes are whole cluster pressed and fermented utilizing native yeasts in stainless steel and concrete. This ultra refreshing wine sees no wood at all and is ready to drink today!

How to Enjoy

You really need nothing but a glass but it does pair great with seafood, pesto, and vegetable stir-fry.