Ep. 1687 Vermentino By Annie Replogle | Italian Grape Geek

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Additionally, it has a presence in Piedmont and umbria as well. It's unsure whether the grape originated in Spain and moved to Italy or vice versa. While Vermentino's traditionally associated with Sardinia and Tuscany, it's also referred to as favorita in Piedmont and Pigato in liguria. And although Vermentino's genetically synonymous with both Faborita and Pigato, though grapes are listed as three separate varieties given that they all look and behave quite differently. All three biotypes grow best on poor and fertile soils with exposure to the sun. And they tend to be vigorous with high and reliable productivity. They perform really well in dry climates and have a good tolerance to wind, but they can suffer from moths, rot, and downy mildew. Inside the glass, Vermentino shines pale laminate color. It tends to have musky aromas and notes of fresh citrus, tropical fruit, peach, acacia, and saline undertones on the palette. There are sometimes also hints of rosemary and thyme, and they're typically fresh and medium bodied with a crisp bed's acidity and saline nuances on the finish. The styles vary, most are dry and but you can also find sparkling Vermentino, late harvest, as well as passeto. Lees stirring and oak aging are used at times to contribute more texture and richness. And Vermentino, particularly from Sardinia, it can range from light and fresh to structured and alcoholic, even reaching up to fourteen point five percent alcohol. Pigato is typically fuller bodied with a creamier texture, but no matter where they're grown, all styles share this distinct saline quality. My absolute favorite part about Vermentino is how refreshing it is. I was fortunate enough to spend a few weeks on the gorgeous island of Sardinia this summer, and I can honestly say there's nothing quite like cooling down with a crisp bottle of Vermentino after basking in the warmth of a long sun soaked day by the sea. Every night at dinner, I was ordering Vermentino, trying all different types of producers, styles, and some of my favorite producers to note are Argeolas, Contini, Santari, Mora Ememo, Carreleo, Punta Kreina, Bruna, Lauro Escaro, Piero mancini, and Katina, Lunai Bosoni, I personally love drinking Vermentino alongside a big bowl of which is pasta with clams topped with salted cured fish roe, but the wine also pairs really well with other seafood dishes like the fresh catch of the day. Oysters, mussels, fish crudo, as well as pasta with pesto, fresh cheeses, and citrus salads. The great part about Vermentino is how accessible it is. I guarantee any wine shop you walk into will have it And again, the wine shop that I live near called Enauteca Verne Bay in Rome, the Truststevery neighborhood has a really amazing selection of Vermentino. So if you ever find yourself in the neighborhood and wanna bring over a bottle, I'll definitely cook you my favorite meal, spaghetti a la bongole to pair with it. I'm truly enamored with Vermentino, not just because of its signature zesty salty flavor, but what really captivates me about the grape is it's adaptability to warm climates and its resilience against certain vineyard pests. So this in turn make Vermentino an ideal candidate for sustainable, viticultural practices, which nowadays is really important in today's wine culture. And knowing that many of the Vermentinos I savored this summer, while I was on the island of Sardinia, just made me enjoy the wines even more knowing that most of them adhered to these sustainable practices. Another interesting fact about the grape is, well, you know, it originates in the Mediterranean. It's really gained popularity across the globe. I remember when I was living in Australia and California, I had the opportunity to taste Valentino wines that they were producing. And while in my opinion, they couldn't quite compare to those of Sardinia Tuscany liguria. It was still really fun and interesting to taste new expressions of the grape. Listen to the Italian wine podcast wherever you get your podcasts. We're on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, email ifm, and more. Don't forget to subscribe and rate the show. If you enjoy listening, please consider donating through Italian wine podcast dot com. Any amount helps cover equipment, production, and publication costs. Until next time, teaching.