Vermentino, an affordable Italian white worth a search

Last year I got the opportunity to taste a number of Vermentinos in Sardinia, the large Italian island about 200 miles southwest of Rome. Vermintino is the main white grape there, and one that seems to be unknown to most. I found nearly all of these wines quite enjoyable; light, but not without some body, and with more fruit and complexity than the wine that is synonymous with “Italian white” these days, Pinot Grigio.

Typically straw yellow in color, Vermentinos typically have a pleasant bouquet and a taste that is unique, but approachable and usually very refreshing. These are easy to drink solo, but should complement a range of seafood. I thought immediately it should work well with pan-fried flounder. The Italian Trade Association's website recommends it also with fish soup, risotto with mussels, monkfish, and even with the tough-to-match artichokes.

In addition to Sardinia, where it is seemingly most widely grown, Vermentino is cultivated in nearly all the Mediterranean coastal districts from Spain to Liguria, and recently the Maremma area of southern Tuscany, plus Corsica. The grape is originally from Spain, traveling to Corsica in the 14th century and from there, on to Liguria in northwestern Italy. It made its way to Sardinia only in the final decades of the19th century, and was first planted in the province of Gallura at the island's northernmost tip. From the Gallura, it went to the other leading zones on the island, most notably to the areas of Sassari in the northwest and Cagliari in the south.

With its poor soil causing vines to struggle, which increases the intensity of the grapes, Gallura has earned a DOCG designation, the strictest in Italy. The other zones, on Sardinia, which are under the Vermentino di Sardegna DOC designation, have richer and more fertile soils, which permit much higher yields. The result are wines with a lower alcohol level that are smooth and quite drinkable, although less assertive. The grapes are typically vinified in stainless steel tanks, sometimes malolactic fermentation is partially carried out, but oak-aging is seemingly never used, at least from the producers I tasted.
Spec's has several Vermentinos, including one from Damian Mandola’s winery in Driftwood, near Austin, and a couple from Arcodoro’s Efisio Farris. Prices range from $12 to $22.