Vermentino di Gallura: Come for the Beaches, Stay for the Wine

Sardinia has beautiful beaches, but also great wines. Vermentino di Gallura Canayli is the proof

For the Italian version of this article,visit Il Los Angeles, the online magazine of the Italian community in LA

With Vermentino di Gallura, this week we travel to the stunning island of Sardinia. As you probably know, Sardinia is a popular summer destination, thanks to its clear waters and breathtaking views.

Something you might not know, though, it that Sardinia has one of the highest concentrations of centenarians in the world. People in Sardinia live longer, that’s a fact. Could it be because of their diet, which mostly consists of local, genuine, and healthy products? Probably. And wine is undoubtedly among those products.

RELATED: 20 Italian Wines You Should Try, One for Each Region

One of the breathtaking sights of the Gallura region, Sardinia (Photo by christoph_sammer)

Vermentino is a native Sardinian grape that grows best in the Gallura area, in the north of the island. Vermentino di Gallura, indeed, reflects the characteristics of the area of production. The terrain there has a granitic origin, which gives the wine a strong mineral character. Constant exposure to the sun and wind allows for an optimal maturation of the grapes.

Cantina di Gallura is located here, its vineyards surrounded by the sea and Mediterranean nature. It is a community winery of 160 members, working on a vineyard of about 350 acres. Run by Dino Addis, easy-going and down-to-earth director and enologist, Cantina di Gallura makes almost one and a half million of bottles every year. It has state-of-the-art facilities and constantly improves on its production methods.

RELATED: Love the Amalfi Coast? Try their Local Wine, Furore Bianco

Among the various types of Vermentino di Gallura that they make, I’d like to recommend Canayli. It is produced with 100% Vermentino grapes with a relatively simple method, which allows it to hold the characteristic of the terrain. The color is stray yellow. At the nose, it has an intense aroma of exotic fruit, with a vegetal hint. On the palate it is very mineral, flavorful, and slightly bitter. By the way, the locals would tell you that the wine just “tastes like Gallura”, with its beautiful landscapes and sea.

Try Vermentino di Gallura Canayli with a nice seafood risotto, a light appetizer platter, or even some classic Sardinian pecorino cheese. Could this be the key to longevity? It doesn’t hurt to try!

Wine-maker: Cantina di Gallura
Name of wine: Vermentino di Gallura Superiore D.O.C.G. Canayli
Type: Dry white wine
Grapes: Vermentino 100%
Price: about $18  

Working in wineries across Italy, I get to see how much passion goes into each bottle. With the Vino Vino Situation, every week I present a great Italian wine at a reasonable price. These reviews are unsponsored and unsolicited. Salute!