# TiAmo Vermentino (2024)

- **Producer:** Cantine San Marzano
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Vermentino
- **Region:** Puglia, Italy
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 12.5%
- **Average price:** €11
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now
- **Serving temperature:** 8–12 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** blossom, apple, lemon, grapefruit, herbaceous, fennel

## About this wine

TiAmo is a romantic, limited-edition release by Cantine San Marzano, a highly respected cooperative founded in 1962 in Puglia, Italy. Located in the sun-drenched Salento peninsula, the winery has grown from 19 local growers to over 1,200, earning acclaim for revitalizing regional viticulture. This wine is a playful, seasonal metamorphosis of their flagship 'Timo' Vermentino, where the name (meaning 'Thyme' in Italian) is adapted to 'TiAmo' ('I love you') for Valentine's Day. The grapes are sourced from coastal vineyards in Brindisi, where the hot Mediterranean climate is tempered by cooling Adriatic sea breezes, growing on shallow sandy dunes and rocky soils.

## Interesting facts

- The name is a play on 'Timo' (thyme), transforming the herb's name into 'TiAmo' (I love you) with a pink apostrophe for Valentine's Day.
- Grown on coastal sandy dunes in Brindisi, just 100 meters above sea level, heavily influenced by Adriatic sea breezes.
- Cantine San Marzano was named 'Cooperative Winery of the Year' by Gambero Rosso in 2021.

## Food pairing

The high acidity and saline minerality of this coastal Vermentino make it an exceptional partner for fresh seafood and shellfish. The wine's crispness cuts through the richness of olive oil-based pasta dishes, while its delicate herbal undertones complement fresh cheeses and light salads without overpowering them.

## Wine making process

The winemaking process for this Vermentino focuses on preserving freshness and aromatic purity. Grapes are harvested manually in the final week of August. Upon arrival at the winery, they are destemmed and subjected to a brief cold skin maceration for a few hours to optimize aromatic extraction. Gentle pneumatic pressing follows, and fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats at 15°C for 13 to 15 days. The wine is then aged on its fine lees in stainless steel tanks for five months before bottling, completely avoiding oak contact to maintain its crisp, mineral-driven profile.