Vermentino di Gallura

The rules say Vermentino is presumed to have come from Spain between the fifteenth and eighteenth centuries, a view of twentieth-century scholars who assumed an origin outside the island. Organic remains and traces of wine in askoid jugs from archaeological sites in Gallura point to thriving wine-making in the Nuragic period, in the Middle and Late Bronze Age (1400-1200 BC). Vittorio Angius first recorded the Vermentino grape in Gallura, and Count di Rovasenda (1877) noted it as a table grape. The rules call its true origin still unknown: recent molecular studies point to an eastern origin for the variety that pollinated it rather than for Vermentino itself. Growers then selected and spread the clones best suited to the zone. The rules were approved by decree of 11 September 1996, and the consortium's collective mark shows a stylised cockerel, symbol of Gallura, in a glass.

Gallura lies in north-eastern Sardinia. Near the sea the land is granite smoothed by wind and water, with thick Mediterranean scrub; inland are woods of oak, cork oak and wild olive. The subsoil is mostly granite, formed about 300 million years ago in the Hercynian orogeny and covered by coarse sand of varying depth, sometimes mixed with clay. The weathering of feldspar and biotite gives the fine clay and colloids that hold the sandy mass together. The coarser the soil, the deeper the roots go, and the rules find sandy, stony soils best, giving scented wines with good alcohol. Vineyards must be on decomposed granite no higher than 500 m, from near sea level to the foothills.

The climate is warm temperate, with mild winters. Under 700 mm of rain falls, mostly in autumn and winter while the vine is dormant, with light rain in spring. Constant wind, salty near the sea, keeps the grapes healthy.

The rules credit the permeable, porous soils, high in potassium, with exceptional scent, alcohol and minerality and a good natural acidity, helped by strong sunshine and continual wind. They attribute quality also to low yields per vine and to growers' knowledge of the vine's growth stages and of how it regulates its crop. The basic wine is straw yellow with light green reflections and an intense, pleasant scent. The rules call Gallura both the home of Vermentino on the island and the area where it gives its best results, and they reserve the denomination to vineyards on weathered granite.

At least 95% Vermentino is required, with other non-aromatic white grapes suited to Sardinia up to 5%. New vineyards need 3,250 vines/ha. Besides the basic wine the rules allow Superiore, Frizzante, Spumante, Passito and Vendemmia tardiva. A classic-method Spumante may not be sold before nine months of second fermentation, and the date of first disgorgement must appear on the label. Passito bottles may not exceed 0.75 l. The vintage must be shown, and the rules provide the consortium's collective cockerel mark for all producers. The official page reproduces rules last modified in 2014.