Montenidoli Vernaccia di Carato

[Sneakeater]

I stumbled across this wine -- Montenidoli Vernaccia di Carato -- in a restaurant. It was so unexpectedly excellent that I wanted to flag it here.

To say this was the best Vernaccia I've ever had would be to understate how (suprisingly) excellent it was. In my experience, Vernaccia is nothing more than a (very good) quaffing wine. This is different. This has the concentration and the depth to make it the kind of wine you pay attention to.

Almost uniquely among Vernaccias, this wine is oaked. If you were to ask me, I'd say my general preference for white wines goes to steel over oak. This wine shows that if oak is used judiciously, and if the grapes are selected for concentration, oak can add the depth and character that will turn the wine into something really memorable.

I don't remember the vintage I had. The wine was $48 at the restaurant (but it's a place with fairly gentle mark-ups). I haven't seen this in any stores -- but a quick and unscientific check on the internet seemed to disclose its being retailed at prices up to the thirties.

Edited July 5, 2006 by Sneakeater (log)