One of the highlights of my summer has been a 'Voyage au Sud de France', outward by air to Montpellier and back to the UK by train via Lyon and Paris. And while this post is not going to be a review of the various wines encountered on this trip it did reinforce something I really already knew, namely that the Languedoc-Roussillon region in the southwest of France is an absolute treasure trove of well-priced, drinkable wines. It is no wonder then that, of all the wines competing for our attention on supermarket shelves, you wouldn't have a bad time if you stocked up with the likes of Saint-Chinian, Minervois, Corbières, Faurgères, Fitou etc for your everyday drinking. In fact, it was red wines blended from Grenache, Carignan, Moudèvre, and Syrah that really got me interested in the wines of this wonderful corner of Occitanie in the first place. But when we are being told that the French nation is forgoing large quantities of southern red wine in favour of whites and rosés I want to turn attention to the classic Mediterranean white grape along the coastal region here, namely Vermentino.
Vermentino is an interesting grape in that the name looks more Italian than French. It is predominantly grown in the west and northwest of Italy but features very strongly on the island of Sardinia where it is used to produce wines under the appellation Vermentino Di Sardegna. It also features on the neighbouring French island of Corsica (often called Vermentinu) and I guess it is from here that it spread to the mainland along the Mediterranean coast of France. Either way it is now widely planted in Languedoc-Roussillon and has become an important constituent of crisp, characterful dry white wines with citrus notes, a pleasant amount of acidity and a certain minerality. Unsurprisingly Vermentino is therefore a good substitute for Albariño, Verdejo, or Sauvignon Blanc as an aperitif wine or to accompany seafood.
Waitrose has three interesting examples of what Vermentino can offer. First, an Italian Vermentino from Sardinia for £9.99 (also available at Majestic at the same price as part of a Mix Six deal)
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| Eccelsa Vermentino |
Secondly, Voyage au Sud Vermentino made by a cooperative in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. Waitrose has sold this wine from the south of France for a number of years and although it's cheap and cheerful it's also bright and breezy and displays the characteristics of the grape. Even now, at £6.99 it's something of a bargain.
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| Voyage au Sud Vermentino |
Although badged Languedoc Blanc, close inspection of the label of this bottle from the vineyards of Jean-Claude Mas reveals it is a blend of three grapes - Vermentino (35%), Marsanne (30%), and Grenache Blanc (30%). It has a little more depth than the previous two, possibly because the Marsanne has been fermented partly in oak, and it seems a little more spicy too. It is good value at £9.99 but it is a regularly discounted wine in Waitrose, on offer at just £6.99 on at least two occasions in 2023 (recently for a number of weeks until 26 September) when it is an absolute bargain!
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| Paul Mas Réserve Languedoc Blanc |
Finally, it is worth noting that last year (2022) the EU accepted representations from Italian winemakers to restrict the use of the name Vermentino to wines only produced in Italy. Of course, there have been local synonyms for the grape for years including in France where the grape was traditionally known as Rolle. Producers in the south of France are not best pleased with the new directive, not least having got used to the more prosaic name of the Italian variety. This is further reason to buy a bottle of Paul Mas Réserve Languedoc Blanc a.s.a.p. The label might soon be a collector's item. The next vintage will be labelled Rolle, Marsanne & Grenache Gris!!
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