Saturday, October 10, 2009

VERMENTINO: ITALY

Costamolino Vermentino di Sardegna (by Argiolas)
Italia: Sardegna (southern end of the island)
Vermentino 90%, Other Native Grapes of Sardinia 10% (white)
2007
$13.99
86 pts
This Italian white based on the obscure Vermentino grape came highly recommended, with ratings near or even above 90 points by internationally recognized experts (Wine Weekly gave this vino a whopping 94 points!). I, however, don't care for it. This is a wine in which the herbacious flavors over-power the fruit, and for my palette, that's not a good thing. While I don't like intensely sweet, candy-style wines--in which the fruit is so over-powering that it's obnoxious--I also don't ordinarily enjoy a wine in which herbs and minerals (and even a hint of vegetables) dominate the flavor profile. I don't get much of a finish from this wine, either. While I certainly appreciate honest wines that reveal something about the earth in which the grapes are grown and capture the essence of the varietal (and this D.O.C. wine does fit that bill), the flavor of this selection and, perhaps, of the varietal, are just not for me. I give this wine 86 points--but if you enjoy wines with predominantly herbal and mineral flavors, you might want to give Argiolas Costamolino a shot. I've certainly tasted worse.

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