Vermentino is a white grape with its heart firmly planted in the Mediterranean. It is associated first and foremost with Sardinia and southern France, and it is grown on a large scale in Sardinia and Corsica as well as in Provence and Languedoc. You will also find it along the coasts of mainland Italy, not least in Liguria and Toscana, where the proximity to the sea and the warm climate suit the grape well.
It is a grape that ripens late in the season and grows with moderate to vigorous vitality. In the vineyard it shows good resistance to both mould and powdery mildew, which makes it rewarding to work with. Ampelographically, Vermentino is characterised by medium-sized clusters with small to medium berries that have thick skins. DNA analyses point to a kinship with Malvasia and other Mediterranean white varieties, and it is worth noting that the Sardinian variant differs genetically from the French Rolle.
In the glass, Vermentino yields dry white wines, and it is especially the high acidity and the distinct minerality that define the style. These are fresh, lively wines with a salty edge that mirrors the coastal vineyards the grape often comes from. It is precisely this freshness that makes them pleasant companions to light dishes and anything that comes from the sea.
Vermentino is a versatile grape used in two ways. It appears as a base wine in blends, where it contributes structure and zesty acidity, and it gets a stage all its own in the many varietal expressions, where the grape's character is allowed to stand out clearly. If you want to understand Vermentino, it is worth tasting across origins, because the difference between a Sardinian and a southern French interpretation tells you a good deal about how terroir shapes one and the same grape. No matter where the bottle comes from, it is the dry, mineral freshness that ties them together.