Vermentino Makes the Most of Its Moment

A few months ago, in a wine shop somewhere in the south of England – not London – I noticed a bottle of white proudly labeled vermentino. To my surprise, it wasn’t Italian at all, but Corsican. If even the French were borrowing the Italian name, I thought, this grape must truly be having a moment.

Dry, aromatic, savory and fresh, vermentino is a variety that spans many regions in Italy, yet three stand out as emblematic: Sardinia, Liguria and Tuscany. It thrives under the influence of the sea and has, in many ways, become for Italy’s coasts what rosé is for France.

The numbers tell the story. Over the past decade, the area planted with vermentino in Italy has grown by a third, according to regional agencies. As of February 2025, the peninsula counts 9,700 hectares, while most official publications still list only 6,000.

Sardinia remains the leader, with 6,097 hectares – 2,600 of them in Gallura, the most prestigious denomination. Liguria, another historic stronghold with the Colli di Luni designation, remains steady at 550 hectares. Tuscany, meanwhile, has surged to 2,125 hectares, with 1,070 in Maremma in south-central Tuscany, (encompassing the province of Grosseto). Luca Pollini, the director of the Maremma DOC consortium said vermentino plantings have grown 576 percent in Maremma since 2006.

Vermentino's popularity is rising elsewhere, too. Sicily now counts 564 hectares, driven largely by cooperative wineries in Trapani and Agrigento encouraging their members to plant the variety.

“In Maremma,” Pollini explained, “96 percent of the 1,071 hectares were planted after 2000. Sixty percent are under 13 years old.” With these numbers, Vermentino ranks among the five most planted varieties in Tuscany – and, at just nine hectares shy of trebbiano, could easily become the region’s leading white grape by 2026. In Maremma, it is already second only to sangiovese, surpassing cabernet sauvignon.

Yet the success of vermentino carries a risk. The increase in planting can push production toward quantity rather than quality, resulting in wines that are pale, diluted and underwhelming. In other words, high yields often come at the expense of expression.

The grape itself poses challenges. Vermentino has an elongated, oval berry with relatively thin skin. The secret to quality lies in pressing: firm enough to extract aromatic richness, but gentle enough to avoid bitterness and excessive tannins.

Another critical factor is sunburn. When it occurs, it can impart a kerosene note that overwhelms fruit, floral and herbal nuances, rather than the subtle hint found in well-aged examples.

Vermentino is a wine of summer, best enjoyed pied dans l’eau – icy on the beach – with fish. Yet its more ambitious incarnations often demonstrate remarkable aging potential, sometimes enhanced by oak or amphora. Notably, in 2023, Maremma introduced a “Superiore” designation: the wine must be at least 95 percent vermentino, yields capped at nine tons per hectare and consumption allowed no earlier than Jan. 1 of the second year following harvest.

“Vermentino is a maritime grape that has found its ideal cradle in Maremma,” Pollini said. “It expresses different nuances depending on soil, altitude and proximity to the sea. Production is growing steadily, with winemakers investing confidently in its potential. Given its complexity and character, vermentino can aspire to stand alongside the great whites internationally. The Superiore designation is a further step in highlighting the quality and expressive richness of this truly emblematic grape.”

Beyond Maremma, the most notable areas for vermentino in Italy include Gallura in northeast Sardinia, Colli di Luni in northwestern Italy, the Apuan Hills in northern Tuscany, and Bolgheri. Gallura boasts sandy soils from decomposed granite, rich in deep minerals, and constantly lashed by the winds of the Bonifacio Strait. Colli di Luni and the Apuan Hills benefit from limestone-rich soils, lending mineral elegance –  a stone’s throw from Carrara’s marble quarries. Bolgheri contributes its long tradition of fine winemaking, often blending vermentino with other varieties, as highlighted at a recent Bolgheri Bianco event hosted by Giacomo Satta.

Among the best tastings, Sardinia lived up to expectations: the Capichera Vermentino di Gallura Superiore Vign’Angena 2024, from a winery now owned by entrepreneur Carlo Bonomi, has returned to the level of quality that made the brand famous. The 2024 vintage is intensely mineral, with notes of seaweed, iodine, and grapefruit, weighty yet tingling with freshness.

In Tuscany, the Frescobaldi Toscana Gorgona 2024, blended with 75 percent vermentino and some ansonica, stands out for its spiced Asian pear, minerals, and heather with jasmine undertones – full-bodied, silky in texture, with a flinty edge for interest.

Rounding out the top 10 are eight more vermentinos scoring above 95 points, spread across Tuscany, Liguria, and Sardinia. Among them, an underdog like Bertazzoli of the Colli Apuani – straddling Tuscany and Liguria – impressed across its range. The Bertazzoli Vermentino Costa Toscana Monò Riserva 2024 is complex and spicy, showing lemon peel, a whiff of sage and leaves, fresh almonds and a leesy character. Vibrant on the palate with taut acidity, green apple, stone fruit, and citrus, it’s savory yet generous.

The top Bolgheri offering is the Caccia al Piano Bolgheri Bianco Lungocosta 2023, which is toasty with sophisticated aromas of apricot, elegant grapefruit and cedar. Full-bodied and weighty, it evokes a Bordeaux blanc style.

The standout from Liguria is the Lunae Bosoni Vermentino Colli di Luni Numero Chiuso 2021, which is super complex and deep with myrtle, ripe yellow peach, orange peel and balsamic notes. It’s silky, nearly full-bodied and astonishingly savory.

This last example demonstrates that while vermentino is Italy’s summer wine, the coastal answer to French rosé, it also has serious potential to rival Europe’s great whites – although it must first overcome the general trend of declining shipments of all Italian wines in the price category of most vermentinos, which is about $15 to $20 a bottle.

– Aldo Fiordelli, Senior Editor

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