2017 Estate Vermentino - Brick Barn Wine Estate

Grilled lemon, river stones, crisp honeydew melon. Pink grapefruit, raw almond, crunchy white nectarine. Delicate honeysuckle and citrus blossom, sea spray and shiny stainless steel. Peach pit, citrus peel, and tart golden apple highlight a crisp and nicely focused attack that drinks deliciously zippy and bright. Subtle florals emerge to complement dainty perfume as notes of table salt and smooth rocks inject a backing of lightly saline minerality. Dried grass and sandy earth provide just a touch of natural complexity that is widely out-shined by pure-fruited freshness. Sunshine filled and smile inducing; brimming with lively acidity and quietly discernible phenolic character within its medium bodied frame. This 2017 Estate Vermentino by Brick Barn Wine Estate is a well balanced and delicious white from Santa Barbara's Santa Ynez Valley.

Vermentino is an indigenous Italian wine grape found primarily on the island of Sardinia and in nearby parts of western Italy. It is typically grown in vineyards near the coast and produces lively and fresh citrus-driven wines that often have a distinctly saline character. This bottling, crafted by Brick Barn Wine Estate using Vermentino grown in their estate vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley, shows that this unique grape is a perfect fit for California's central coast. This wine is quite tart and dry on the palate yet boasts impressive concentration of refreshing fruit, and it gorgeously reflects the influence of its Italian heritage paired with an environment of consistent California sunshine. Brick Barn's location just east of the cool Santa Rita Hills means that its vineyards see plenty of the Pacific Ocean's moderating influence, and Vermentino clearly thrives in these familiar conditions. A wonderfully clean and straightforward white that is a nice divergence from California's norm.