Native to the maritime growing regions of Liguria, Corsica and Sardinia, Vermentino has adapted splendidly to our warm climate in Virginia. A spontaneously ingratiating white wine of self-proclaiming love for seafood and fish in all preparations, Vermentino’s dry but distinctly luscious minerality is complemented by generous palate weight and length, which we capture with fermentation and aging in stainless steel, under continuing lees contact of at least 7 or 8 months. A single, light frost at the outset of the season inflicted minor crop losses, but thereafter a pattern stabilized as one of moderate rain, and moderate daytime temperatures. In the crucial last 6 weeks of the growing season, we enjoyed a period of consistent high pressure, with clear blue skies, warm days and cool evenings. The cooler season created whites that have a higher than average acidity, yielding extravagantly fragrant aromatics. The Vermentino Reserve has vivid citrusy aromatics with a deep, dry palate of sustained structure, excellent body, lingering minerality and finesse of finish. Pairs well with pan- fried blue crab cakes & braised mushrooms, or sea scallop gratin in cream sauce with fresh basil.

Barboursville Vineyards is Virginia’s first wine estate to be dedicated to growing European, vitis vinifera wine varietals in Virginia. Planted in 1976, the vineyard was founded and continues to be owned by Gianni Zonin from Gambellara, Italy, who is a 7th-generation winegrower whose family’s enterprise, Casa Vinicola Zonin, has been in viticulture since 1821. Barboursville is Zonin’s sole winemaking endeavor outside of Italy. The property is the core of an extensive 18th Century Virginia plantation, now consisting of some 900 acres, of which 162 are in vine. Winemaker-General Manager Luca Paschina, holder of a degree in oenology from Instituto Umberto in Alba and now in his 21st year at Barboursville, oversees day-to-day vineyard operations with viticulturist Fernando Franco, who has been at Barboursville for 13 years.

Varietal: Vermentino

Region: Virginia