2019 opened with Luogosanto’s conquest of the title of "City of wine", thanks to the quality of the production of the famous wine "Vermentino di Gallura". With this title, Luogosanto enters by right in the places that represent the best wine producing realities of Italy.
Thanks to its territorial and natural characteristics, Luogosanto is a perfect place for the cultivation and processing of vines: the presence of granite and limestone rocks provide the wine with that typical, fruity and decisive flavor that distinguishes it from others; the height from the sea level and the morphological characteristics instead, make Luogosanto a cool and dry place, suitable for the preservation of the product during fermentation.
For this reason, several wineries and small producers have chosen the region to produce one of the best ‘vermentini’ of Gallura.
You may not know it, but Vermentino is a DOCG wine, Controlled and Guaranteed Denomination of Origin, which guarantees a product that can be grown and processed only and exclusively in the territories of Gallura. There are strict regulations to respect in order to label vermentino as a DOCG, for example:
Download this PDF if you would like to know all the regulations to guarantee the controlled and guaranteed designation of origin of the Vermentino di Gallura: http://www.cittadelvino.it/download.php?file=docg-vermentino-di-gallura_11.pdf
The origins of this vine are not entirely clear; among the various hypotheses, the most probable is that it is of Spanish origin. It is assumed that around the 14th century, it was introduced into Corsica and from there, over the centuries, it arrived in Sardinia. Its presence is also found in Liguria, Tuscany and other areas of Italy.
Even the origin of the name does not offer certain hints about the origin of the vine. It is thought to derive from "vermenaz", an Italian word that means "young, thin and flexible twig", which in turn derives from the Latin "verbena", which means "herbs and twigs of evergreen plants".
As for the shape, the Vermentino grape has a white berry, characterized by medium-large bunches, cylindrical or pyramidal in shape and with sparse berries. The berries are usually medium-large, spherical and somewhat elongated. Usually the color is amber-yellow or greenish-yellow (the hue varies according to sun exposure). The peel is covered with a thin, almost white veil of a waxy substance that makes the surface of the grape impermeable. The leaves have a medium-large size with a pentagonal shape and consist of five ends called "lobes".
The vermentino grapes can be processed to obtain different types of wine, each with distinguishable sensory characteristics. We have:
As you already know, the best combination of Vermentino di Gallura is with all seafood products: a good sparkling Vermentino is particularly suitable for pairing with raw molluscs and crustaceans. Imagine a beautiful sunset, a tray of oysters, truffles and freshly caught raw mussels, lying on a bed of ice and an excellent bottle of Vermentino (or better two!) ... what more could you want from life!?
Contrary to what some may think, even some meats can be accompanied with vermentino. Don't believe it? Ask the many restaurateurs of Luogosanto who propose typical cuisine and will allow you to experience an innovative culinary experience!
The Vermentino di Gallura passito, perhaps the least known but always very tasty, is particularly suitable to accompany the traditional Gallurese desserts: amaretti, formaggelle, papassini, acciuleddi, fiuritti and seadas just to name a few.
The Vermentino di Gallura DOCG wine is the flagship of the wine production of the Luogosanto area, but in the different wineries in the area, you can also find other wines that will surprise your tastes: red, rosé and sparkling wines that will introduce you to what are the true flavors of this splendid land.
In the Lugosanto territory there are several wine cellars, also titled at world level, which organize tours of the winery and tasting of the products. You can just as well find many small producers selling their wine during village festivals.
Alternatively, on the second Sunday of August, an event is always organized dedicated to the tasting of local wine products, "Calici di Stelle", where you can taste the wines produced by all the participating companies. If you find yourself in these parts at that time, the advice is not to miss the opportunity to get to know the many wineries in the area.
We just have to say ... Cheers! Alla Salute!
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