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Vermentino is a grape varietal shrouded in mystery and celebrated for its vibrant, aromatic wines. From its potential Spanish origins to its sun-drenched Italian expressions, particularly in Tuscany, Liguria, and Sardinia, Vermentino offers a unique tasting experience that reflects the diverse terroirs it calls home.
The origins of the Vermentino grape remain a subject of passionate debate among viticultural experts. While its exact birthplace is uncertain, the prevailing theory suggests a Spanish lineage, from which it embarked on a remarkable journey across the Mediterranean. This migration led to its establishment in various regions of France and, most notably, in Italy, where it thrives along the sun-kissed coasts.
In Italy, Vermentino has found its most expressive homes in three distinct regions:
Tuscany: Tuscan Vermentino, often grown in the coastal areas of Maremma, exhibits a characteristic minerality and a richer, fuller body compared to its counterparts. It's known for its aromatic complexity, often showcasing notes of white flowers, citrus, and herbs.
Liguria: Ligurian Vermentino, known locally as Pigato, shares a close genetic relationship with the broader Vermentino family. However, it distinguishes itself with its intense aromatic profile, often featuring notes of peach, almond, and a distinctive saline minerality, reflecting the region's coastal influence.
Sardinia: Sardinian Vermentino, particularly from the Gallura region, boasts a crisp acidity and a delicate balance of floral and fruity notes. The island's unique terroir contributes to its distinct character, often marked by a slightly herbaceous quality.
The distinct expressions of Vermentino in Tuscany, Liguria, and Sardinia offer a fascinating exploration of the grape's adaptability.
The grape Vermentino nero is probably native to the coastal zones of the hills of Tuscany (Massa-Carrara and lower Lunigiana), where it is still grown in the local tradition.
According to some scholars, it would be a mutation of the white Vermentino bianco, also for the similarity of many characteristics of the grape variety.
After being almost extinct after the Second World War, in the late ‘80s it was rediscovered thanks to the foresight of some producers of Massa area and then other companies in the same province have resumed cultivating, proposing it in blends but also its versions in purity.
We can find it as a complementary vine in the Colli di Luni Rosso DOC and it becomes part of the blend of Rosso Toscana IGT (for the province of Massa-Carrara) and the Red and Rosé IGT Val di Magra.
The berry is black medium-large or large, spheroidal or ellipsoidal short with medium waxy, greenish-yellow skin, that becomes golden yellow or amber when well exposed to the sun. The bunch is medium, cylindrical or pyramid with one or two wings (sometimes long pedunculate wing), usually loose or medium compact.
The black grape Vermentino nero has high vigor, medium-late maturing and high productivity,
The Vermentino nero grape gives a wine of ruby red color, fragrant and fruity on the nose, with medium structure and good persistence.
The Vernaccia di Oristano vine has been present in Sardinia, as cited by name in the province of Oristano, since ancient times.
The total area planted with vines of this variety to date amounts to approximately 45 hectares. The term “Vernaccia” seems to come from the Latin “ver”, Spring, or from “vitis vernacula”, meaning “from home”, as reported by Columella in his work “De re rustica”. According to others the term could be of more recent derivation and traced back to the French variety Grenache or its Catalan synonymous Garnacha.
Vernaccia di Oristano shares its name with the Vernaccia di San Gimignano, but the two varieties are absolutely distinct from an ampelographic point of view. In its typical cultivation area, the Oristanese, it is also used for the production of Vernaccia DOC.
The berry is white, medium-small, round or sub-round with thin, fragile, very waxy, yellow skin with shades of gold or greenish. The bunch is small, cylindrical or cylindrical-conical, semi-tight or tightened with a small, orbicular, trefoil leaf.
The Vernaccia di Oristano has medium-high vigor and medium-late time of maturity. Its productivity is abundant and regular.
The Vernaccia di Oristano grape gives an amber-yellow wine, more or less intense according to aging; the scent is delicate, ethereal, with notes of almond blossom; the flavor is dry, savory, warm, fine, light-bodied, with hints of bitter almonds.
The Vernaccia Nera is a variety grown in the Marche region, particularly in the area of Serrapetrona, in the province of Macerata, where even today they produce very limited quantities, so that it can be considered a rarity, both from the ampelographic standpoint and the winemaking.
The total area planted with vines of this variety to date amounts to approximately 45 hectares. The term “Vernaccia” seems to come from the Latin “ver”, Spring, or from “vitis vernacula”, meaning “from home”, as reported by Columella in his work “De re rustica”. According to others the term could be of more recent derivation and traced back to the French variety Grenache or its Catalan synonymous Garnacha. In fact, there are clear similarities between Garnacha and Vernaccia nera cultivated in The Marches. Moreover, from a genetic point of view, it is now certain the common origin both with the Sardinian Cannonau as with the Tocai rosso grown in Vicenza, although the three species continue to be classified separately in the National Register of Grapevine varieties.
The Vernaccia nera is used primarily for the production of Vernaccia di Serrapetrona DOCG, red sparkling wine made with the particularity to be subjected to withering about half (40%) of the grapes for sparkling wine and proceed after assemblying with the wine made from dried grapes.
Its berry is black, medium, spheroidal with skin of medium texture, thick, black purple colored. The bunch is medium, cylindrical-conical, often winged, tight with a medium, orbicular leaf, five-lobed, sometimes three-lobed.
The Vernaccia Nera has a good vigor and time of late maturation, its production is abundant.
The Vernaccia Nera gives a not very intense ruby-red wine. The scent is predominately vinous and the taste is harmonious, fresh, medium-bodied, with a slightly bitter finish.
The Vespaiola vine is native to the piedmont region around Vicenza, and has its roots in the town of Breganze. The origins of this variety, however, remain uncertain.
Acerbi signals its presence in the area of Bassano and Marostica in 1825. The name Vespaiola, like other similar cases (Vespolina) refers to the predilection of wasps for mature berries and sugar in periods close to harvest.
In purity this grape variety is present in Breganze Doc Vespaiolo and Torcolato. The wine Vespaiolo is dry and easy to drink, while the Torcolato is a sweet wine with great structure and intensity.
The berry is white, medium, with thick and substantial, very waxy, yellow-golden skin. The bunch is small, cylindrical-conical, winged, not very compact with a small, orbicular leaf.
The Vespaiola vine has good vigor and time of average maturity.
The Vespaiola grape gives a wine of straw yellow color with golden highlights. The scent is not very intense and complex but subtle and delicate, with light fruity and herbaceous notes. The taste is fresh and fruity, full-bodied.
If vinified after drying (Torcolato) has an intense golden yellow color, intense and complex scent, with notes of dried flowers, flint and honey. The flavor reveals a good freshness for acidity.
The Vespolina grape variety is present mainly in the Oltrepò Pavese area, located in the most southern province of Pavia, near the first Apennine formations, and it is grown in the hills and valleys with altitudes between 100 and 500 meters above sea level.
The name Vespolina, as in the case of varieties with similar names (Vespaiola), derives from the fact that wasps are particularly attracted by the sweetness of its ripe berries at the time of harvest. It is also known by the synonymous Ughetta, that was one of the most important vines of Oltrepò area, cultivated there since the end of the 18th century, but lost importance with the advent of phylloxera. It is also very widespread in the provinces of Como, Novara (Ghemme, Gattinara) and Piacenza.
Traditionally Vespolina is vinified in blends with other grapes such as Barbera, Croatina, Uva Rara, where it provides a characteristic spicy note.
Its berry is black medium, ellipsoidal with waxy, rather thin and not very consistent skin of blue-black color. The bunch is medium, cylindrical or conical, elongated, moderately compact, often winged with a small or medium-small, wedge-shaped or pentagonal, five-lobed leaf.
The vine Vespolina prefers land not drought, fresh and deep, not very fertile and sunny. It has medium vigor and time of average maturity. The production is regular but not very abundant.
The Vespolina grape gives an intense ruby-red wine, floral and spicy on the nose, with light and lively taste, to be drunk young.
The vine Vien de Nus owes its name to the town located near Aosta where it comes from and where it is still cultivated today. Its name means “pianta di Nus” (a plant belonging to Nus).
Along with the Petit rouge, the indigenous red grape, Vien de Nus is the most cultivated and spread in the district of Valle d'Aosta, and it belongs to the family of indigenous varieties “Orious”, evolved through continuous natural reproduction in their range of cultivation.
Also known as Gros Vien or Gros Rodzo, Vien de Nus has spread on an area of cultivation which extends from Donnaz in Avise, on both sides of Baltea, up to altitudes of about 750 meters. It forms the basis of some red wines of Valle d'Aosta DOC.
The berry is black, large, spherical with very waxy, blue black, skin. The bunch is medium to large, conical-pyramidal, winged, medium compact with a large leaf, pentagonal, five-lobed.
The vine Vien de Nus has high vigor and vintage mid-early maturing. Its production is abundant, but sometimes just constant because of its sensitivity to diseases and adverse climatic conditions.
The vine Vien de Nus gives a deep purple-red wine that tends to discolor with aging assuming garnet tones gradually. The scent is intense with vinous notes. The taste is dry, soft and light-bodied, low alcohol.
The Viognier grape is originally from the Rhone Valley in France and had been, almost completely abandoned due to the grape’s low yield, but recently it is making a come back mainly because of its nose and body.
In Italy, initially introduced in very small quantity and used in blends, mainly in Tuscany and Piedmont, it is now more and more common to see wines made of 100% Viognier with Tuscany and the Maremma Toscana proving so far the best wine region for Viognier wines.
The grape is now found in other regions as well, and whilst it is often found in very light, easy to drink and refreshing versions, the only Viognier wines that manage to produce great wine balancing their high alcohol content seems to be the ones from Tuscany.
Viognier can produce white wines with very complex noses, very fruity when young, more elegant when aged.
The Vitouska grape is an authochthonal Slovenian variety present in the Karts area, both in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia and in the Slovenian side. Its name seems to have come from the town of Vitovlje in Slovenia, known as Vitovska Gargania and it has been present in this area since time immemorial.
It is primarily known by the synonymous of Vitovska. Until a few years ago it was almost exclusively vinified in blends, but recently there has been a trend towards the rediscovery of authochthonal and forgotten grapes and wine quality of this variety have made that more and more producers propose it vinified alone.
The berry is white, medium, spherical, slightly elongated with medium waxy, green skin. Its bunch is large, pyramidal, winged, and compact with a large, pentagonal, five-lobed leaf.
The Vitouska grape has medium vigor and mid-early maturing. In spite of a tendency towards floral abortion, its production is generally good and regular. The wine produced from this grape gives a pale straw yellow colored wine. The fragrance is fruity and light balsamic, with hints of pear and sage. The taste is dry, fresh and fruity.
The vine Vuillermin, after having risked extinction, is currently cultivated sporadically and almost exclusively in the municipalities of Chambave and Chatillon and in the province of Aosta.
This ancient red grape variety was once called Eperon or Spron, now missing names. The Vuillermin seems to be genetically related to the Fumin, although according to recent studies it derived from Prié and has some closeness with Cornalin.
The berry is black, medium-small, spherical with solid, waxy, opaque blue skin. The bunch is medium-small, pyramidal, winged, medium compact.
The Vuillermin vine gives a deep red purple color wine. The scent is vinous and intense; the taste is full-bodied with good tannins and good structure.
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