Uvaggio, 2009 Vermentino

I've known Winemaker/Owner Jim Moore for more than a decade - about half the time he's spent on his own Uvaggio label, featuring wines from the grapes of Northern Italy. Jim fell in love with these wines while serving as Robert Mondavi's liaison with the Frescobaldi family, during Mondavi's joint venture that helped launch the Cal-Ital movement in the 90's. Jim's passion for Italian wine (and food) grew with each visit, and he eventually left Mondavi to launch his own brand of wines based on Italian grapes grown in Northern California.

Tasting Notes
Fresh and supple; lively yet subtle lime, quince and pear aromas; flavors of melon and stone fruits.

Winemaker's Notes
- 100% 2009 vintage
- 100% Lodi appellation
- Vineyards: ~33% Gayla's Vineyard, ~67% Bella Vigna Vineyard
- Bottled in Mar 2010
- 11.1% alcohol
- Acidity: pH 3.43 & TA 6.1 g/l

We harvested beginning in early Sept, finishing by the end of the month, all at peak maturity - yet at relatively low brix, making this an ideal variety for a lower alcohol wine.

All the lots were free-run juice (no pressing) and cool fermented in tank with a fruit enhancing strain of yeast and without a malo-lactic conversion. About 10% was aged in neutral oak for complexity. Post fermentation it was racked twice followed by a light fining, then another racking and filtration prior to bottling.