Vermentino and Rolle

Winemakers love working with Vermentino. It is a very complete variety which delivers aroma, fruit flavour, body and structure. Great with Seafood, Bebbux and local Mediterranean food. Vermentino is an attractive, light-skinned, aromatic white grape variety widely grown in Sardinia (Sardegna), Liguria, to a limited extent in Corsica, and to an increasing extent in Malta & Provence. It is a wine of immediate appeal, but at the same time it has a slightly elusive complexity that keeps you coming back to it. It is thought to be identical to the variety long grown in eastern Provence as Rolle and in north western Italy is sometimes called Rollo. Some believe that the variety is related to the Malvasia family. Vermentino is Corsica’s most planted white grape variety. In Sardegna it is picked deliberately early to retain acid levels but still manages to produce lively wines of character.

Vermentino is a fish wine par excellence. It is a dream partner to oysters and raw shellfish in general, and sails along next to squid and octopus dishes. It connects with the local Mediterranean food, for instance it is a superb wine to drink with Snails (Bebbux, Escargot) al pesto, while the more robust wines can even handle the tomato-based fish soups (aljotta) so loved by us Maltese.

The leaves are dark green and pentagonal. The grapes are amber-yellow and hang in pyramidal bunches. The vines are often grown on slopes facing the sea where they can benefit from the additional reflected light. The Vitis International Variety Catalogue now gives Italy as its origin. Different hypotheses about the origin of Vermentino have been forwarded, and only recently has DNA typing confirmed Vermentino to be identical to the Pigato of Liguria and Favorita of Piedmont (Piemonte), superseding some earlier hypotheses. It is as yet unclear if Vermentino is also identical to the variety Rollo found in eastern Provence, around Nice, thought this is practically an accepted fact by the French Authorities. Vermentino’s exact relationship with the Tuscan (Toscana) grape Vermentino nero is not yet known though the variety may be a colour mutation.

What’s exciting about Vermentino is it can be deliciously complex in taste in similar style to Sauvignon Blanc. On the palate, Vermentino is usually dry and somewhat oily with flavours of grapefruit and citrus, with a crushed rocky minerality and saltiness. On the finish, it can be a bit snappy with bitterness similar to the taste of grapefruit or, if it’s on the riper side, fresh almond. Wines with similar body and taste profile include Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, Soave and Verdejo. Despite the typical light-bodied character of Vermentino, it’s actually quite complex to taste. This is because Vermentino has higher levels of phenols which contribute to its subtle bitterness on the finish; a taste often described as green almond. A classic glass of Vermentino will offer up lively aromas of pear, white peach, lime and pink grapefruit with notes of stone and citrus zest.

Vermentino is also often used for sweet and sparkling wines.

Further reading
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vermentino
https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/vermentino-wine-guide/