Refreshing vermentino with concentrated flavours of lime, peach, honeysuckle and jasmine flower

One of the “Best Italian white wines for summer” – Decanter magazine, 2022. Tasted by Susan Hulme MW.

Maìa offers concentrated flavours of refreshing citrus fruits and white flowers, all thanks to a special technique of winemaking. Made in Gallura, aka northern Sardinian Riviera, the area is famous for its white sandy beaches and shallow lagoons. Siddùra’s winery is hidden up in the mountains, just half an hour’s drive from the seaside resort of Portobello di Gallura.

Winemaking

Grapes are hand-harvested in the first ten days of September. Dino Dini, the winemaker at Siddùra, has a special way of adding vibrant character to his wine. He crushes the grapes and keeps the juice in contact with the skins for two days – much longer than usual – at a near-freezing temperature of 2°C. This is too cold to for fermentation to start, but during that extended time the juice extracts lots of rich flavour from the skins. Dino ferments it for three weeks in stainless steel tanks, and after that ages it on the fine lees (again, in steel) for six months, where the wine becomes more complex and developed.

Tasting notes

In the glass, this award-winning Vermentino has clear lemon shade. Siddùra Maìa offers pronounced aromas of lime, peach, melon and yellow apple, complemented by notes of honeysuckle and jasmine. In the mouth, this wine is dry and bursting with zingy acidity. Maìa has high levels of alcohol and benefits from creamy texture and full body.

Awards

Decanter Panel Tasting – 92 points, Susan Hulme MW (2019 vintage) | Decanter World Wine Awards 2020 – Silver Medal (2018 vintage) | Gilbert & Gaillard – 91 pts (2018 vintage) | Gambero Rosso – Two Red Glasses, final tasting (2017 vintage) | I Vini di Veronelli – 3 stars (2018 vintage)