Sant'Agnese. Vermentino 'l'étrange'

Toscana IGT
Grape: Vermentino

An intense and perfumed wine, jasmine and lime cutting the rich, honeyed fruit that has a remarkable density, the natural glycerine bringing real weight and power. Depths of greengage, banana, even blueberry. An immense, full dry white; one of the most unusual, unwooded wines I have tasted. 14%

Sant'Agnese Producer page

Vermentino is a grape that is fast becoming the darling of Coastal Tuscany thanks to its relative immunity to heat and ability to produce fresh, characterful white wines, sometimes against all the odds.  Paolo has opted for two very particular Corsican clones which he feels gives a broader and more interesting spectrum of flavours.

The Vermentino is guyot trained, planted at a density of 5000 vines per hectare on the flat land, where the soils are stony, with deeper clays.  The vendemmia* is by hand, starting in October at the crack of dawn.  The grapes are chilled down to 3°C on arrival at the winery, pressed and fermented (wild yeasts) with no temperature control.  Whole individual berries are added and together macerated for 28 months.