Cantina Gallura’s higher-end Canayli Vermentino is a longtime PRIMA favorite, but we’ve just rediscovered their Piras cuvée, an even lighter, fresher version of Vermentino at an even better price! Grown in the rugged, sun-drenched granitic soils in northernmost Sardinia, Cantina Gallura’s Vermentinos are true expressions of their unique coastal terroir. The Canayli cuvée gets the ‘Superiore’ designation because of its extra ripeness, fleshy texture and added depth. But sometimes all that extra oomph and gravitas is superfluous to requirements. On a warm day in the backyard, say, when all you want is a glass of something good, maybe a little less is a little better: Imagine all that floral freshness and those hints of green almond, wintergreen and sea salt on a lighter, more refreshing frame. And there you have it. Piras.

But ‘light and fresh’ does not mean ‘simple and insipid.’ Even if you accidentally dropped an ice cube into a glass of this (a mistake I often make) there is a ton of flavor here, enough to stand up to a table full of salads, salty and spicy antipasti, a plate of spaghetti alle vongole or a platter of just-opened oysters. Wife Anne and I like to trot out a bottle of Vermentino whenever we get a hankering to go back to Sardinia. Can’t get there yourself? Open a bottle and save on the airfare!