Vermentino is native to the Ligurian area of Italy and the Mediterranean islands of Sardinia and Corsica. Like Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, and Riesling, Vermentino has a light to medium body with comparable weight and profile. There’s something for everyone, from light and airy to deep and textured.
Vermentino is a versatile wine that pairs well with a wide variety of fresh seafood, salads, and light Asian-inspired foods popular throughout Australia’s long summer. The sweetness and spice from the squid offset the refreshing acidity of the Australian Vermentino in Luke Nguyen’s chilli salted squid recipe. Because of the sea spray flavours prevalent in this type, Suzanne Little of the Little Wine Company observes that their kind of Vermentino also pairs nicely with prawn dumpling recipes.
What is Vermentino?
Vermentino is a white wine grape variety native to the Mediterranean region. While the grape is most commonly associated with the Italian island of Sardinia, it is planted throughout Italy, particularly in Liguria’s Colli di Luni appellation, Tuscany’s Bolgheri, and Piedmont. Even within the same country, Vermentino is known by many different names: It’s known as a potato in Liguria and Favorita in Piedmont.
The grape is so popular in Sardinia that it has its regional appellation, Vermentino di Sardegna, which produces Vermentino di Gallura, one of the most well-known interpretations of the grape. Vermentino is also a popular grape in France, where it’s known as a roll or malvoisie de Corse. It’s grown in the Languedoc-Roussillon region, the Côtes de Provence, and on the island of Corsica.
Vermentino is a white wine grape that is most often grown in Italy and, to a lesser extent, France. Sardinia, the northwest of Italy, and the south of France have significant Vermentino plantings. Vermentino is grown in various locations around the world and these key locales. The Vermentino grape has a thin, light-coloured skin and produces aromatic, light-bodied, and refreshing wines. Floral notes, citrus fruits, white fruits, and a nutty quality may all be found in its scent. Its flavours span from citrus fruits to mineral undertones and even saltiness on the palate.
Vermentino is famed for its bitter aftertaste that tastes like nuts. Vermentino is often savoured young and is occasionally picked early to maintain its acidity. Even though most Vermentino is light in body, some producers prefer a fuller, richer style. Malolactic fermentation, a secondary fermentation that converts tart malic acid to creamier lactic acid, is commonly used to achieve this. This is usually done in oak barrels, and the wines may be matured in wood for some time.
What does Vermentino Wine Taste Like?
Because of its crisp, fresh acidity with aromas of green apple, citrus fruits like grapefruit and lime, and delicate, saline minerality, Vermentino is frequently compared to sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio.
Vermentino wines may undergo malolactic fermentation, in which bacteria are injected into the tank to produce a chemical called diacetyl, depending on the winemaker. Diacetyl marginally alters the mouthfeel of the wine, resulting in a creamy, buttery Vermentino in the style of chardonnay.
Vermentino Wine Pairing
Vermentino is a versatile wine that pairs well with a wide variety of fresh seafood, salads, and light Asian-inspired foods popular throughout Australia’s long summer. The sweetness and spice from the squid offset the refreshing acidity of the Australian Vermentino in Luke Nguyen’s chilli salted squid recipe. Because of the sea spray flavours prevalent in this type, Suzanne Little of the Little Wine Company observes that their kind of Vermentino also pairs nicely with prawn dumpling recipes. Asian Inspirations has a terrific recipe for homemade dumplings that would go well with Vermentino.
Is Vermentino a Good Wine?
The crispness and oily quality of Vermentino make it an excellent match for fresh seafood, grilled Mediterranean vegetables, and dishes containing pesto, rich spices, and herbs. Grilled fish, chicken tacos, fried mussels, and fennel-spiced pork sausages all go well with Vermentino. Vermentino is usually dry and oily on the palate, with grapefruit and citrus flavours with a crushed stone minerality and saltiness. It can have a bit of a snappy finish with bitterness that tastes like grapefruit pith or, if it’s riper, fresh almond.
3 Foods to Pair With Vermentino Wine
Think fresh herb sauces like pesto, light, airy rustic soft cheeses, and fruits de Mer combined with Vermentino. Though it features mild, lemony flavours, highly acidic meals can overpower a glass of Vermentino, so skip the key lime pie.
Seafood. Most seafood recipes, from freshly shucked oysters with mignonette sauce to fried clams or battered fish tacos, benefit from the addition of Vermentino. The wine’s gentle saltiness is reminiscent of the sea, and the mellow citrus aromas won’t overpower even the most delicate dishes.
Artichokes. Vermentino is one of the few wines that go well with artichokes, which is notoriously difficult due to a chemical called cynarin, which turns dry wines sweet. Vermentino’s sharp almond finish holds its own with grilled artichoke hearts and garlic aioli.
Fennel. Vermentino is one of the few white wines rich enough to complement the sultry, licorice tones of fennel without turning murky, whether it’s fennel-spiced pork sausages or raw, shaved fennel salad with slices of green apple.
Is Vermentino Sweet or Dry?
Vermentino is usually dry and oily on the palate, with grapefruit and citrus flavours with a crushed stone minerality and saltiness. It can have a bit of a snappy finish with bitterness that tastes like grapefruit pith or, if it’s riper, fresh almond. Vermentino, one of Italy’s many dry whites, can bring up images of the Mediterranean, and it’s the ideal foil for fish, seafood, and light pasta dishes of all kinds.
What Food Goes with Vermentino Wine?
Vermentino is a versatile wine that goes well with a wide range of vegetables. This is one of the few wines that go well with artichokes, and it’s worth hunting out for that reason alone. This wine goes nicely with spinach, beans, arugula, and zucchini. Vermentino is an excellent wine to pair with medium-weight foods that feature-rich herbs and spices with its somewhat oily flavour, saltiness, and phenolic bitterness. Because of its stronger intensity, this wine pairs well with richer seafood like halibut or meats like fennel-spiced pig sausages.
What Kind of Grape is Vermentino?
White Wine Grape
Is Vermentino Similar to Chardonnay?
Vermentino is a broad, complex, yet fresh wine that provides something distinct to Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio drinkers. Fortunately, the grape has gone beyond Europe’s borders, piquing the interest of producers in New World regions such as the United States and Australia, where winemakers are looking for versatile grapes. Or a long time, it was assumed that Vermentino originated in Spain, but it is now clear that the grape originated in Italy (where it is still widely planted). T may not be as well-known as Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc, but it makes excellent wines all around the Mediterranean.
Vermentino in Australia
The Mediterranean-style climate and proximity to the shore in McLaren Vale are ideal for Vermentino, as it is strikingly comparable to the area around Liguria, the variety’s original birthplace. However, as a resilient variety, it has thrived in some climates, including the Hunter Valley, Central Victoria, and the King Valley, Australia’s birthplace of Italian varietals ranging from hot to cool, promoting a variety of styles, from light and airy to rich and textured.
Australian Vermentino production is expanding year after year due to the demand for different types across the country. Vermentino’s “appeal lies in its delicate, Briney scent and lengthy, fresh tongue,” according to Sarah Gough, winemaker of Box Grove Vineyard. Ak isn’t required to enhance these flavours or provide weight to the palate. t can be prepared in March, bottled in late spring the following year, and consumed throughout the summer.”
Conclusion
Vermentino is a light-skinned wine grape variety most commonly found in Italian wines. This is commonly planted in Sardinia and Liguria and to a lesser extent in Corsica, Piedmont, under the name Favorita and Languedoc-Roussillon. Its leaves are pentagonal and dark green, and the amber-yellow grapes are hung in pyramidal bunches. Vines are frequently grown on sea-facing hills to absorb the additional reflected light. Italy is now listed as the country of origin in the Vitis International Variety Catalogue.
The DOCG Vermentino di Gallura (and Vermentino di Gallura Superiore) produced in the province of Olbia-Tempio in northern Sardinia is possibly the most well-known Vermentino wine. Since the thirteenth century, the grape has been planted in this part of Gallura, frequently under Arratelau. The grape is also used to make a range of white wines on the island, including sweet and sparkling varieties.
