Vermentino is one of Italy's great white wines and a wine that never disappoints. Simple, clean, typically mineral in character and with a saline palate, it is extraordinarily versatile and sometimes delightfully complex in flavour as a Sauvignon Blanc.
Vermentino is a white-berry variety spread across Sardinia, Liguria and Tuscany, whose origins are disputed. It seems to have been born in Spain and then spread from there to Italy and to some French regions, such as Languedoc-Roussillon, where it is known as “Malvoisie Précoce d’Espagne” or “Malvoisie à gros Grains”, and Corsica, where it is the most widely cultivated white grape.
The most prized Italian Vermentinos come from the Sardinia region, especially from the north-eastern part of the island, in the “DOCG Vermentino di Gallura” area. In Liguria it is found pretty much everywhere, but it is in the Colli di Luni area, below La Spezia that it finds its ideal microclimate. In Tuscany, meanwhile, Vermentino is spread along the hills at the foot of the Apuane Alps, in the province of Massa-Carrara, in the Tuscan Maremma area and also on the Island of Elba.
It is here that Vermentino has acquired varietal characteristics that make it distinctly distinguishable from Ligurian Vermentino or Sardinian Vermentino.
A distinguishing characteristic of Vermentino is its typical lightness and freshness. It is generally a dry white wine with citrus, floral and herbaceous notes of white flowers, thyme and basil on a slight fruity undertone. It usually closes with a mineral finish, recalling salty, briny aromas.
In the collections of Cantine Leonardo da Vinci there are two Vermentino wines: Streda Vermentino Toscana IGT from the Villa da Vinci line and Vermentino Toscana IGT from the Leonardo da Vinci Vitruviano line. The first brings to the nose a clear aroma of peach and white flowers, delicate and enveloping; the second recalls the typical varietal aromatic fragrance through an ample floral bouquet which with ageing reveals a slight mineral scent of flint.
Vermentino is a fragrant white wine and easy to drink, which can be appreciated paired with a wide variety of traditional Italian dishes. From white fish to fattier fish such as salmon, shellfish and crustaceans, or white meat, as well as fish pasta dishes, pesto or vegetables: these are all excellent gastronomic pairings for a good glass of Vermentino.
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