Vermentino (aka Rolle)
TL; DR
Salty, unique white from an island off the coast of Italy
So, what is Vermentino all about?--red
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?--aromatic
Originally from either Sardinia or the neighbouring Corsica (both located off the west coast of Italy).
Where's the best Vermentino from now?--racy
Italy - Sardinia, Liguria
France - Languedoc-Roussillon, Provence
Australia - McLaren Vale, Riverland
What does Vermentino taste like?--aromatic
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?--cellar
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?--plum
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--earth
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!