Grattamacco was one of the first wineries on the Tuscan Coast to commit to Vermentino in a significant way. The hard work and experimentation completed over the years has paid off handsomely. The organic 2020 Bolgheri Vermentino sources its fruit from a three-hectare plot at a breezy 100 meters in elevation with a mix of white clay and flysch soils. One-third of the wine goes into tonneaux, and the rest goes into steel tank for six months. Nailing harvest time is very important with Vermentino because it can suddenly lose its freshness in a matter of days. This wine offers a pretty combination of citrus, rosemary, white pepper and preserved lemon over a crisp, mid-weight body. 15,000 bottles were produced.

The 2017 Bolgheri Vermentino brings forth vibrant green notes from the Tuscan Coast's favorite white grape, with juicy lemon and grapefruit, all backed by cut grass, kiwi and honeydew melon. I love the easy-drinking nature of Grattamacco’s popular Vermentino.

Grattamacco is clearly trying to build a white wine with modest aging potential. But the 2014 Bolgheri Vermentino offers a weaker vantage point from which to achieve this ambitious goal. I discovered some bottle variation in my samples and remain convinced that this vintage is more shut down and closed compared to past editions. Some 30% of the wine sees contact with oak and the other 70% rests in stainless steel. The fruit used to make this wine boasts a special pedigree. It comes from one of the oldest Vermentino vineyards in Bolgheri that is farmed organically and naturally produces very low yields. I look forward to trying the upcoming 2015 vintage that promises more intensity and overall grandeur.

On my visit to Grattamacco, Claudio Tipa e Luca Marrone discussed what they would plant on a beautiful vineyard parcel facing the winery. Planting more Vermentino, due to the wild popularity of the wine, was one of the options on the table. This symbolic shift underlines just how successful Vermentino sales have been for this estate. The 2013 Bolgheri Vermentino is released one year later and shows a more sophisticated winemaking approach. It is a beautiful expression and the best Vermentino of my tasting. Of course, 2013 was a much easier vintage that showed better results across the board. This is a rich, penetrating and creamy wine. The bouquet is beautifully redolent of peach, white flowers and blanched almond.

The 2012 Bolgheri Vermentino is a lush and structured white wine that would pair with white meat or buttered lobster. Vinification takes place in both stainless steel and neutral barrique, and the wine ages on its lees with frequent batonnage. It does indeed have large shoulders, with creamy stone fruit and toasted nut backed by crushed mineral and dried garden herb.