($20, Taub Family Selections / Palm Bay International):  My colleague, Rich Cook, just reviewed the 2023 vintage of this wine highly.  I want to highlight a slightly older version, still available at retail, because it shows that Vermentino, when grown on the right terroir by the right producers, benefits from a little age.  Vermentino, it turns out, is not just a young and fresh white.  The granite soil, the hallmark of Gallura area, and a couple of years of bottle age imbue this Vermentino with unexpected power without losing any of its appealing saline-tinged acidity.  More mineral-y than fruity, it expands in the glass.  A subtle hint of bitterness in the finish makes it a great match for full-flavored things from the sea.
93 Michael Apstein Oct 1, 2024