2002 Vermentino

Production Notes

The 2002 Tablas Creek Vineyard Vermentino is Tablas Creek’s first bottling of this traditional Mediterranean varietal, known principally in Sardinia, Corsica, and Northern Italy. It is also grown in the Rhone Valley (particularly Côtes de Provence) where it is known as Rolle. The Vermentino grape produces wines that are bright, clean, and crisp, with distinctive citrus character, refreshing acidity and surprising richness.

When we imported our Châteauneuf du Pape clones, our contact in the French nursery service included the Vermentino because he believed it would thrive in the rocky limestone soils of Paso Robles. We have planted about an acre of Vermentino, and it has indeed thrived here.

The 2002 vintage was wonderfully balanced, with warm days, cool nights, and a long, glorious fall. Low yields (2.5–3 tons per acre) produced concentrated flavors, while the dry-farmed vineyard emphasized the mineral character of the limestone soils. The Vermentino was harvested in one day on September 23.

The Vermentino grapes were whole cluster pressed, and fermented using native yeasts in stainless steel to emphasize the minerality of the grapes. A small quantity of Roussanne was used to top the tank after fermentation. The wine was bottled in April 2003.

The 2002 Vermentino is clean and bright with tropical aromas of lychee, lime and marshmallow, and no evidence of oak. In the mouth, it is minerally with citrus and pear flavors, good richness, refreshing acidity and a lingering finish.

Reviews

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Recipe Suggestions

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Food Pairings

  • Nearly any fresh seafood
  • Oysters on the half shell
  • Aioli or Pestos
  • Linguine with clam sauce
  • Stir fried green vegetables
Vermentino

Not Available for Purchase

Blend

  • 90% Vermentino
  • 10% Roussanne

Technical Notes

  • 14.7% Alcohol by Volume
  • 250 Cases Produced

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