Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Wine: 2003 Canayli Vermentino di Gallura


Me and girlfriend Charlie were making pan-seared salmon with a sort of Mediterranean bent (tabouleh, hummus, and a spicy creamed spinach) but we found ourselves totally out of wine. A quick trip to Piedmont Ave and a stop at A.G. Ferrari yielded this well-received vermentino from Gallura. I'm not generally an Italian white wine fan, but I'd had good luck with vermentinos in the past so I decided to pick this up (it was being offered at a significant discount, too). I'm a big fan of bigger-bodied acidic white wines with strong fish dishes like salmon, so why the hell not?

When initially sampled cold (very cold), it had a very lush, fruity nose (notes of citrus and butter). It also was a touch musty. The finish was long, crisp, and acidic. The wine was totally dead across the palette, however. As it warmed through our meal, the palette of the wine increased in complexity somewhat, though it still tasted very, very light.

After our meal I was somewhat disappointed with the Canayli since it seemed neither representative of the varietal nor particularly complex in character. However, I tasted the wine the next day and it was markedly different. I had only sat corked in the fridge overnight (no VaccuVin or anything). The wine had changed significantly. The butter was gone (which I didn't mind) and the wine developed a very nice warmth and broad acidity across the palette moving to a lingering and distinctly apple-y finish.

A very good if uncharacteristic wine. Open and let breathe for 24 hours before serving, which is a definite downside.

Country: Italy (Gallura)
Varietal/blend: 100% Vermentino
Price: $12.99 (sale)
Purchased: A.G. Ferrari Foods, Piedmont Ave.

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