Val delle Rose Vermentino Review: Litorale vs Cobalto

Two bottles of Val delle Rose on the table, same grape, same estate, two entirely different wines. A Vermentino face-off from Maremma, the coastal stretch of Tuscany where Cecchi farms 186 organic hectares around Poggio la Mozza.

The soils here run from rocky to loose Quaternary dunes. The Litorale parcel sits on sandstone studded with weathered rock, 150 metres up, northwest-facing. That is where the Vermentino for both wines is grown.

Litorale Maremma Toscana Vermentino DOC Bio

100% Vermentino, cold maceration before fermentation, then rest on stainless steel. No oak, nothing to hide.

Straw yellow with a green rim. The nose opens on apple blossom, citrus and orange, followed by melon, peach, a hint of almond and green herbs. The palate is fresh and direct, the same arc, with the classic almond-bitter tail Vermentino delivers. The finish is no marathon, but the balance is right. A solid apéritif white with enough structure for spaghetti alle vongole.

Cobalto Maremma Toscana Vermentino DOC Superiore

This is where it gets interesting. The must ferments in three vessels: one third in wood, one third in amphora, one third in stainless. Then ten months on fine lees, at least six months in bottle. From 2021 the wine carries the Vermentino Superiore mention, from 2022 the BIO designation as well.

Deep yellow, intense nose. Vanilla and toasted oak lead, followed by coconut, ripe apple, citrus and tropical tones. The palate is full, not sweet, with apricot, peach and almond pushing through the oak. Long, lightly bitter close.

Not a terrace apéritif; this is a food wine. Next to grilled tuna steak, smoked halibut or a creamy summer-vegetable risotto it does exactly what it should.

Verdict

The Litorale shows Vermentino in its salty, linear form; the Cobalto shows what the same variety becomes once wood and amphora take a third of the work. Both honest, both recognisably Maremma. Anyone wanting to understand why Vermentino is more than terrace filler should drink these two side by side.

Thanks to Cecchi for the bottles. More info at valdellerose.it.

Sources

• Italian DOC/DOCG regulation: politicheagricole.it