Vermentino, Mario Bagella

Mario Bagella has emerged as the undisputed champion of the Sorso region on the northern shore of Sardinia. His family has been growing grapes here for more generations than there are records for, and in his mind, these are the best vineyards in Sardinia – the ‘Primo Sorso’. The island is a rugged country and many of its vineyards are surprisingly removed from the sea, but for Mario it’s a short walk to the beach, and the vines bask in a constant gentle salty breeze that tempers the Mediterranean sun.

Vermentino is cherished in this part of the world for offering a reliable dose of thirst-quenching acidity, but for Mario and his 100-year-old vines, the bar is set much higher. The sea salt in the Sardinian air is the first aroma out of the glass, along with lemon curd and kiss melon and white pepper. The wine has incredible textural tension, with an oak-free leesy richness kept aloft by broad spectrum acidity. Orange and white cherry and Italian herb flavors follow before that salty minerality returns on the finish. Creamy pastas and crab dishes would be best, but this is a wine to encourage creativity in the kitchen.