Vermentino

Vermentino is a white-wine grape grown in various locations around the western Mediterranean: northwestern Italy, southern France and the neighboring islands of Corsica and Sardinia. It goes by various names, among them Pigato in Liguria, Favorita in Piedmont and Rolle in Provence, although there is long-standing disagreement over which of these are synonyms of Vermentino and which are distinct varieties in their own right. Whatever the truth, Vermentino wines, Pigato wines, Favorita wines and Rolle wines have a lot in common, most obviously their refreshing acidity and attractive aromas of peach, lemon peel, dried herbs and a whiff of saline minerality.

Synonyms include: Rolle, Rollo, Pigato, Favorita, Malvoisie de Corse.

Food matches for Vermentino wines include:

• Fried marinated sardines (sardine a scabecciu)
• Thin-sliced octopus drizzled with lime
• Deep-fried shellfish turnovers (empanadas de marisco)