2009 Uvaggio Vermentino

100% 2009 vintage
100% Lodi appellation
~33% Gayla's Vineyard 
~67% Bella Vigna Vineyard

We harvested beginning in early Sept, finishing by the end of the month, all at peak maturity - yet at relatively low brix, making this an ideal variety for a lower alcohol wine.

All the lots were free-run juice (no pressing) and cool fermented in tank with a fruit enhancing strain of yeast and without a malo-lactic conversion.  About 10% was aged in neutral oak for complexity. Post fermentation it was racked twice followed by a light fining, then another racking and filtration prior to bottling.

Bottled in Mar 2010; 11.1% alcohol, pH 3.43 & TA 6.1 g/l

Our descriptors: fresh and supple; lively yet subtle lime, quince and pear aromas; flavors of melon and stone fruits.

2009 Uvaggio Vermentino paired with
Seared Sea Scallops with Sorrel sauce, Frisee and shaved Apples
Recipe from Chef Todd Humphries

Kitchen Door Napa- Opening May 2011


Uvaggio Vermentino Press

"Made from a variety more commonly found in Sardinia, this wine makes the case for Carneros, showing a wealth of fresh, inviting peach, lychee and green apple. High-toned acidity highlights a dry crisp salinity and lively style." — Virginie Boone

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"There is not a lot of Vermentino to be found in Carneros – or anywhere else, for that matter – but Uvaggio’s Il Nostro makes us wish there was more. We do not subscribe to the notion that fine wine is made in the vineyard and consider winemaking as equally important in the calculus of success, and, in this case, the wine counts both lovely fruit and careful crafting to its credit. It is wonderfully fresh and light on its feet, yet it sports a very fine fruity voice suggestive of white peaches and pink grapefruit with subtle background notes of minerals throughout, and, if a most refreshing quaff on its own, it will prove a versatile mealtime partner to lighter dishes of all sorts. "

* 89

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"This bright and concentrated wine combines ripe apple and peach in equal proportions, with lively herb and mineral notes. It has a refreshing balance and vivid flavors." — Jim Gordon

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"Herbaceous aromas and bright citrus flavors give an almost-electric charge to this light-bodied, crisp and appetizing wine. Aromas of snap peas, parsley and fresh-cut grass lead to lemon and grapefruit flavors and a tingly mouthfeel. It's a perfect summer-to-fall drink." — Jim Gordon

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Profile
Uvaggio Vermentino is unmistakably Californian. It’s as if the classic, light Italian Vermemtino’s flavor and aroma knobs were dialed as high as they could go..

Pairing
These vibrant wines often taste like passion fruit or citrus, sometimes accented with an herbaceous note. A fruity-zesty balance, a signature of Sauvignon Blanc, is what makes these wines delicious with goat cheese (a staple pairing of France’s Loire Valley). The wine makes the cheese taste creamier.

More About The Wine
East of San Francisco, Lodi is a warm, dry region that’s suitable to just about every grape variety, red or white. Winemaking immigrants from Europe figured this out around 1850. Italian settlers found especially strong success with their native varieties, among them Vermentino; the grape doesn’t require cool nights to retain its bright character.

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Profile
Uvaggio Vermentino is a zesty wine that balances bright citrus flavors with an underlying mineral note.

Pairing
Vermentino’s minerality enlivens nuanced dishes, so even subdued flavors on the plate will pop. The wine’s acidity also brightens up fried foods.

More About The Wine
Lodi is a warm, dry region where just about every grape variety, red or white, grows well. Winemaking immigrants from Europe figured this out around 1850. Italian settlers were especially successful with their native varieties, Vermentino being one of them. The grape doesn’t require cool nights to retain its bright character.

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"Something different and refreshing in a white wine, this smells like green apples, flowers and tart candy, while flavors recall tart apple skin. The wine is dry, clean and light bodied." — Jim Gordon

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 "Alessandro wanted to know if I’d pen a feature for Cdb on the wine scene in America. “Which wine scene in America?” was my initial response, to which he more-or-less replied “all of them.” Capturing the trends and current happenings of all of the most important wine regions in the U.S. just seemed a challenge too cool to turn down, so I said yes...what was probably the most difficult part of the assignment was coming up with a list of thirty wines that I thought served as both an introduction to American wine, and as a faithful representation of American wine trends overall... Against my better judgment, I have included short blurbs on why I choose the wines that I did.

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"From two vineyard sources in Lodi, Uvaggio’s Vermentino is always a delicious bet, with crisp, light melon fruit and a salty quality that calls out for food from the sea. Modest in alcohol, the texture is mouthwateringly addictive, a quality that follows through from first sip to last." — Virginie Boone

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"Uvaggio is a Cal-Ital specialist with over half its production devoted to Vermentino, the aromatic white grape from Italy (and Corsica and Provence), where it is known under different names. Uvaggio is a project from Jim Moore, a veteran of Robert Mondavi's and Bonny Doon’s cellars, and he seems to have a real feel for this Italian varietal. Lighter than Chardonnay, with hints of lime and flowers, it has a summery feeling, lighthearted and approachable. It’s a remarkably versatile alternative to Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay. And hard to beat the price. About $12."

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"Made from a hard-to-find variety in California, this bright, beautifully aromatic wine expresses gorgeous scents of jasmine that follow through in flavor to the finish. Its layers of lime, apple and a generous level of minerality are perfectly executed and waiting for seafood." — Virginie Boone

92

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"... Vermentino is a virtually unknown variety here in the US, but anyone who has enjoyed a good Vermentino from Sardinia or the Italian mainland knows enough to appreciate it.  In its best incarnations its layered complexities can be moving, though it is more commonly an unsophisticated and cloying wine.  Uvaggio's version is the first I've seen of this grape grown in the US - and what a debut.  Crisp, fresh, and well balanced, there's something for everyone in this extremely well-rounded, elegant white.  But it  goes beyond crowd pleasing to demonstrate a truth and seriousness of quality that commands attention - and respect.  What an unbelievable value."
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"... Even though Uvaggio's 2009 Vermentino is beginning to get a little tired (and I'm looking forward to tasting the 2010 when it makes its way to our market), it had all of the vibrancy (read acidity) and citrus and white fruit to pair wonderfully with a simple dish of spaghetti al pomodoro last night. But the thing I liked the most about it was the 11 percent (yes, 11 percent!) alcohol..."

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"Stretched between the low-lying Central California towns of Sacramento and Stockton, where the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta flushes itself across a fingers-spread of rivers and creeks, Lodi is among the powerhouse wine regions of the state. It’s a longstanding growing area that has been selling grapes to and making wines for dozens of big-name wineries with big pedigrees and budgets (Beringer, Mondavi, etc.) for generations...

Uvaggio 2009 Vermentino - Uvaggio winemaker Jim Moore is making a serious case here for Lodi Vermentino, a white Italian grape not too distant in flavor from pinot grigio but more intense. This bottling is a stunner that’ll keep you thinking and asking for more. It’s compelling — savory with herb and green olive notes, and yet freshly fruity and delicate, well integrated and plenty acidic to stand up to a free-range of food, with only 11 percent alcohol."

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"Another stunner from Uvaggio, who is making stellar wines across the board from Lodi grapes, low in alcohol (13%) and fairly priced. This fruity Primitivo can be enjoyed all night from before a meal to during to a bedtime sendoff—it just gets better and better in the glass. Pomegranate, cherry, toffee, they’re all in this soft, easy-drinking wine." — Virginie Boone

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