Vermentino: All the essentials you need to know in 5 minutes

Vermentino wine was, until recently, very little known outside of Italy, but its image is growing and so is the quality of the wines produced from this fantastic Mediterranean grape variety.

How to pronounce?

Vair-men-tee-no

Where does it comes from?

It was thought for a while that Vermentino originally came from Spain, but it now seems established that actually the grape comes from Italy (where it is still widely planted).

It isn’t as famous as Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, but it produces plenty of great wines around the Mediterranean.

What does it smell like?

Vermentino is a zesty, fresh, aromatic grape variety.

Typical aromas include lime, grapefruit, though aromas can become more tropical such as pineapple and mango in warmer climates.

What does it taste like?

Vermentino wines have a good acidity, with sometimes a hint of saltiness, due to vineyards often planted near the sea (especially in Sardinia and Corsica).

It has a medium to low sweetness, and medium body.

This makes it an overall refreshing wine!

It’s not uncommon for Vermentinos to have a slightly bitter finish, which is not dissimilar to the bitterness found in almond. This touch makes it very interesting for food matching as we’ll see below.

What food will it go well with?

Vermentino is a wine that doesn’t break the classic rule “Local wine to local food”.

This wine is perfect with typical Mediterranean food. Think grilled fish, think herbs such as rosemary, tarragon, think grilled vegetables.

I would even go as far as suggesting it with grilled chicken, with herby marinade, grilled on the barbecue. Right now I’m craving grilled squid with a fresh Vermentino – heaven!

Where are the best regions for Vermentino?

France and Italy are really the two dominant regions for Vermentino. It’s grown elsewhere in the world but it represents a tiny proportion of the overall planting.

In Italy, it’s mostly present in Sardinia and Liguria, while in France, you’ll find Vermentino wine in Corsica, Provence and in the Languedoc-Roussillon, where it is found both as single varietal and in blends.