Winemaker Notes
Intense straw yellow with bright and clear greenish reflections. Persistent bouquet of herbs, white flowers, and stone fruit. Fresh acidity, citrus with a brininess that is reminiscent of the sea, making a long finish inviting another sip.
Delicious with seafood, shellfish, and mild fish dishes.
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The multifaceted 2023 Vermentino Stellato comes on slow, starting with a savory whiff of crushed stone, spice and ginger before taking on enriching aromas of raw almond, vanilla bean and apricot. It is texturally thrilling, weighty, fresh and spry. This has a nearly salty core of minerals to offset its opulent feel as crisp melon tones and notes of candied lime swirl throughout. It cleans up beautifully, long and staining yet fresh and gently tannic. The 2023 is geared for a beautiful evolution.
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James Suckling
Well rounded, textured and silky, with aromas of dried apples, spiced pears and wild herbs on the nose. Medium-bodied with fresh acidity. Succulent and vivid with a flavorful, persistent finish.
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Wine Enthusiast
On the nose, toasted almonds balance the richness of white peaches and lemon curd. That balance continues on the palate, which is laden with more citrus and tree fruit, but also has the bitterness of almond skin and the chalky saltiness of crushed shells.
The Pala family began their adventure with wine in 1950 amongst the rolling, vine-covered hills of Serdiana, an idyllic village located in southern Sardinia. With mild winters and warm, dry summers, this part of Italy's second largest island is ideal for grape growing, with the traditional varietals finding a special home here. Under the guidance of Mario Pala as of 1995, the winery continues to be family-owned. The value of tradition and the innovation of modern techniques are both incorporated into the winemaking process at Pala.
Pala owns six different vineyard areas with a total of 68 hectares currently under vine. Each vineyard is planted with varietals that are chosen according to the microclimate and soil type of the individual site. Many of these varietals are indigenous to Sardinia including Monica, and Nuragus. Pala practices organic farming in the vineyard and does not use chemical pesticides or fertilizers.
A deep respect for tradition, special care and devotion to the vines and finally the production of great wines, have always been the fundamental philosophy of Pala. This dedication has resulted in wines of great character and elegance that are enjoyed by wine lovers around the world.
A fantastic, aromatic white grape that grows with great success in Sardinia, Tuscany and in lesser proportions on the island of Corsica. Somm Secret—Vermentino is thought to be genetically identical to Liguria’s Pigato grape and Peidmont’s Favorita. It comprises a large proportion of the whites in southern France where it is called Rolle.
Hailed for centuries as a Mediterranean vine-growing paradise, multiple cultures over many centuries have ruled the large island of Sardinia. Set in the middle of the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Phonoecians, Ancient Rome, and subsequently the Byzantines, Arabs and Catalans have all staked a claim on the island at some point in history. Along the way, these inhabitants transported many of their homeland’s prized vines and today Sardinia’s modern-day indigenous grape varieties claim multiple origins. Sardinia’s most important red grapes—namely Cannonau (a synonym for Grenache) and Carignan—are actually of Spanish origin.
Vermentino, a prolific Mediterranean variety, is the island’s star white. Vermentino has a stronghold the Languedoc region of France as well as Italy’s western and coastal regions, namely Liguria (where it is called Pigato), Piedmont (where it is called Favorita) and in Tuscany, where it goes by the name, Vermentino. The best Vermentino, in arguably all of the Mediterranean, grows in Sardinia's northeastern region of Gallura where its vines struggle to dig roots deep down into north-facing slopes of granitic soils. These Vermentino vines produce highly aromatic, full and concentrated whites of unparalleled balance.
Today aside from its dedication to viticulture, Sardinia remains committed to maintaining its natural farmlands, bucolic plains of grazing sheep and perhaps most of all, its sandy, sunny, Mediterranean beaches.