Learning about grape varieties is a great way to expand your wine knowledge. The best way to learn is by tasting, but sometimes, knowing where to begin is hard. Doing a little reading before heading to the wine store is one way to get a handle on which type of wines you may enjoy most.

Let’s start with Vermentino, a white wine grape variety primarily grown in Italy and France in the seaside regions of Sardinia, Liguria, Tuscany, Corsica, and Provence (in France, it’s called Rolle). In recent decades, Vermentino has also been successfully planted in the USA and Australia, yielding good results.

I was inspired to start this Spotlight On Grape Varieties series (more grapes to come!) while considering which kind of wine would pair best with spaghetti with clams and garlic. Since Vermentino and clams both hail from coastal areas, it makes sense that they would sit well together at the table. As the saying goes, what grows together goes together.

Magic in a Bottle

Vermentino can transport your taste buds and mind to the Mediterranean Sea's blue waters and white sands. Typically, it’s pale yellow in color, with aromas of salty sea spray and citrus, stone, and tropical fruits, leading to a fresh and lively palate with saline minerality. Sometimes, when sipping Vermentino, you can even taste wild Mediterranean herbs, particularly rosemary, sage, oregano, and thyme. Vermentino’s weight can vary depending on where it is grown. For example, Vermentino from the southern area of Sardinia, where the soils are calcareous, tend to be rich and creamy in texture.

This sassy white wine not only pairs well with clams and other shellfish but is perfect with all seafood dishes, as well as pasta with vegetables and pesto, young cheeses, and salads with a citrus vinaigrette.

Eight Vermentino Wines to Look For

Volpaia Prelius Vermentino Maremma Toscana ($24). Hailing from Tuscany’s coast, this exciting Vermentino is produced by the highly regarded Chianti Classico winery Volpaia. Medium-bodied and full of honeyed fruit, crisp lemon, and lime, white flowers, and crushed rock minerality. A stunning wine.

Belguardo V 2021 Vermentino Superiore ($38). This Vermentino is made by another well-known Chianti Classico producer, Mazzei. Their Belguardo estate is located in the hills of Tuscany’s Maremma region, close to the Tyrrhenian Sea. A vibrant wine with a lingering finish, this full-bodied Vermentino is rich in minerality and complexity and capable of aging for at least ten years.

Cantina LaSelva 2021 Vermentino Maremma Toscana ($18). Another Maremma winner! Lemon yellow with a hint of green shimmer, its floral aromas of violets mingle with citrus notes, and a subtle herbaceousness. The palate bursts with juicy fruit, leaving a long, lingering finish.

Antonella Corda 2021 Vermentino di Sardegna ($25). This is a super flavorful Vermentino, aged in clay amphorae, with lovely aromas of lime and lemon zest, white flowers, and a hint of smoke. On the palate, mouthwatering acidity, round and textured, with flavors of citrus (lemon, lime, and citrus), stone (peach and apricot), and tropical fruit (kiwi, pineapple, and passionfruit). A terrific Sardinian white wine!

Surrau 2022 Sciala Vermentino di Gallura ($25). Surrau winery’s Vermentino Sciala grapes are grown in Sardinia in the hills of Arzachena, a small town where Vermentino di Gallura is produced. This well-made Sardinian white is full-bodied and complex, with a viscous, slightly oily mouth feel and notes of mint, pine needles, citrus, and white pepper.

Punta Crena Vermentino "Vigneto Isasco" 2021 ($33). Punta Crena’s vineyards are all close to the sea in Liguria. They benefit from breezes that keep the grapes healthy and free of disease. This mouthwatering Vermentino is all about freshness. Medium-bodied and balanced, it offers fragrant whiffs of juicy lemon, Ligurian dried herbs, and saline sea spray.

Chateau Maris 2020 Vermentino ($17). Chateau Maris, located in the south of France, makes high-quality, organic wines. This Vermentino (Rolle) is very mineral with beautiful notes of lemon and peach and great textural complexity. Irresistible and a great aperitif wine.

Troon Vineyard 2022 Vermentino ($26). Oregon may not be on your radar when searching for a quality Vermentino, but this one from the Applegate Valley is fantastic. It’s all about citrusy lemon, lime, and grapefruit flavors, with zingy acidity, wet-stone minerality, and a pleasant bitterness on the finish (typical for Vermentino wine) that balances the fruity flavors. It's great paired with swordfish.