Uno di Uno. One of one — and that is exactly what this bottle is: a single grape, no company, no detours. At Lupo Meraviglia the name tells you straight away how many grapes made it into the glass. Here it is one. Vermentino, all by itself, and it holds up beautifully.

Character

Vermentino is the coastal grape for me: fresh, with a core that carries more weight than you would expect from a light white. In Puglia it gets enough sun for ripe fruit, but the acidity stays upright. That is why you don't tire of it after two sips — there is enough here to keep eating alongside.

Tasting notes

• Nose — white peach and apricot, with a fine woody hint of cedar behind it.
• Palate — good body, warm, with acidity kept neatly in balance.
• Finish — dry and fresh, with a salty streak that asks for the next sip.

How I pour it

At 10 to 12 °C, so a good hour in the fridge and then onto the table. Not ice cold — that is exactly how you lose the fruit you bought it for.

• With mussels, cockles or a pan of garlic prawns.
• With grilled fish, lemon and olive oil — the simpler the dish, the better it shows.
• With a summer pasta of courgette, mint and ricotta.
• Or simply as an aperitif, with salted almonds or a piece of young pecorino.

What to do with it

Were you given this bottle and is it sitting in your rack? Don't keep it too long — this is a wine to drink young, while the fruit is still wide open. Save it for the first evening you can eat outside, or take it along when you're invited somewhere: an Italian that not everyone knows yet always lands well. And if there's some left after the aperitif, a splash in the pan with your mussels or risotto never hurt anyone.

Origin & facts

• Grape — Vermentino 100%
• Origin — Puglia IGT, Italy
• Alcohol — 12.5% vol
• Volume — 75 cl
• Winemaking — gentle pressing, 7 to 12 days fermentation in stainless steel at 14-16 °C, then ageing on the fine lees at 10-12 °C
• Producer — Lupo Meraviglia, Puglia