Vermentino (aka Rolle)
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Vermentino (aka Rolle)
TL; DR
Salty, unique white from an island off the coast of Italy
So, what is Vermentino all about?
Vermentino is a classic white variety from the south of Italy and the south of France! It has real character — it has real personality — and is regarded as one of Italy's most important white varieties. It has also recently been popping up with more salty sass in Australia, too!
Where did Vermentino Originate?
Originally from either Sardinia or the neighbouring Corsica (both located off the west coast of Italy).
Where's the best Vermentino from now?
Italy - Sardinia, Liguria
France - Languedoc-Roussillon, Provence
Australia - McLaren Vale, Riverland
What does Vermentino taste like?
Light to medium bodied, this white is fruit forward but really shows off a tangy, salty hit on the finish. Very refreshing, it mixes citrus with tree fruits along a firm line of acidity.
What are the main styles of Vermentino?
Not a lot of variation on the medium-bodied, salty theme, although the Italian styles tend to be a bit weightier and more complex than the Australian versions.
Which foods pair with Vermentino?
The salinity in these wines means it works wonderfully well with seafood - think mussels octopus, or just a great pasta (linguine!) with clams.
Fun fact
There's a white grape from Piedmont, in the north of Italy, called Favorita, that has recently been determined to be genetically identical to Vermentino!
