Vermentino grape variety and wines

Vermentino is an aromatic white wine variety whose native habitat is now the Italian region of Liguria and the Mediterranean islands of Sardinia and Corsica where it is known as Malviose of Corsica. It is also becoming increasingly popular under the name of Rolle Provence and in the Languedoc-Roussillon Wine Region in Southern France.

George Biron's Roast Pork with Quinces and Myrtle to pair with Vermentino

Since the turn of the century more Australian wineries, especially on the mild to warm Australian regions are turning to Vermentino.

The variety has the ability to produce wines with firm acidity and good flavour even under the hot conditions experienced in some recent vintages.

At the 2009 Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show in the organisers set up a class for Vermentino to be judged separately. Previously it was in the "other whites" class.

My expectation is that this variety will play a prominent role in wine areas thet are too warmto produce quality wine from Chardonnay.

Vermentino in Australia

• 919 Wines Riverland
• Aldinga Bay McLaren Vale
• Atse's Corner Wines Barossa
• Box Grove Vineyard Nagambie Lakes
• Boyntons Feathertop Alpine Valleys
• Brown Brothers King Valley
• Bullers Calliope Rutherglen
• Chalmers Murray Darling
• Cobaw Ridge Macedon Ranges
• Di Lusso Estate Mudgee
• Foxey's Hangout Mornington Peninsula
• Halifax McLaren Vale
• King River Estate King Valley
• Mansfield Wines Mudgee
• Parish Hill Wines Adelaide Hills
• Pasut Family Wines Murray Darling
• Politini King Valley
• Rimfire Vineyards Darling Downs
• Rossiters Murray Darling
• Rupert's Ridge Estate Heathcote
• Spinifex Barossa Valley
• Tall Poppy Murray Darling
• Tallavera Grove Winery Hunter Valley
• Trentham Estate Murray Darling
• Vale Creek Wines Central Ranges Zone
• Yalumba Wine Company Barossa Valley
• Zonte's Footstep Langhorne Creek

Food Pairing with Vermentino

Vermentino wines are robust and can be enjoyed with a variety of well flavoured foods.

My good friend Geoge Biron of Sunnybrae Restaurant at Birregurra near Geelong has published a great recipe for Roast Pork with Quinces and Myrtle See the photo above. If you were to enjoy this dish with a white wine then Vermentino would be my first choice.

You could also enjoy this variety with Darby's famous tapenade, an antipasto platter or strongly flavoured seafood dishes.

More broadly you can choose any of the foods of the Western Mediterranean, including Italian, Provencal or Catalan.

More food pairing ideas with Vermentino