An Italian Vermentino: A Perfect Match for Holiday Seafood

La Bettigna 2014 Colli di Luni Vermentino

It's Christmas Eve and we are preparing to have seafood for dinner. Mary is preparing mussels in a white sauce, linguine and clams with an entree of salmon and filet. When we sit down to dinner, we want a pleasant but lively wine to accompany our Xmas Eve repast. 

Vermentino (originally a Spanish grape) is a perfect match for seafood. The grape is grown in the Ligura region of Italy as well as in Sardinia, Tuscany and other places. It is DOC since 1988.  Liguria is near Genoa and by the sea. Because of the geography, there aren't a lot of large producers. But the Vermentinos from this area are of excellent quality.  

The Vermentino I've chosen is the La Bettigna 2014 Colli di Luni Vermentino. It is biodynamically grown, made in stainless steel with indigenous yeast. It is not refined or filtered. 

What I like about this wine is how it combines a citrus acidity and a strong minerality. It even has a kind of briny sense reminiscent of the sea. The nose is herbal and pleasing. It is a serious wine with medium body and seems very versatile. We had it with chicken the other night and it paired perfectly. Mary and I both agreed that it would be a perfect summer wine to cool things off. We will have to give it a shot next summer.  

For now, we will see how it matches up with the Xmas Eve fish dinner. I'm thinking it will be just fine. 

You can pick up a bottle for a little over $20.00. 

Here is a look at the Liguria region of DOC wines: 

  

3 Refreshing Summer Wines for Under $20.00

When the days turn warm and the afternoons are long and leisurely, my interest turns to good food and refreshing white wines. Mary and I have come to depend on good, inexpensive wines that make lunch or dinner a more sensuous and soothingly lingering experience. Nothing can beat a lively, cool, crisp white wine to make any meal memorable and the company more intimate. There are many excellent wines that offer such qualities but often we turn to one of the three wines listed here.

Experience has taught us that dependability is an important element in truly enjoying a long, summer meal with friends and family. These three wines offer refreshing taste, well matched acidity and minerality, and a knack for making summer foods pop with wide-eyed fun. They are also priced below $20.00.

Our Summer 2016 List

Our go to wine these days is the German Peter Lauer Barrel X Riesling. Peter Lauer has something of a cult status and this entry level offering is worth seeking out. Barrel X is a dry Riesling with nice complexity and nuanced tones. It has great minerality, citrus and green apple notes and a sparkling liveliness from nose to finish. I think you will fully enjoy this superb offering. Pairs great with Asian food, barbecue, blue cheese and fish. 

Barrel X normally goes for about $18.00.

Take a peek at Peter Lauer Barrel X

Next on our list is Kim Crawford's Sauvignon Blanc. This is an exciting wine from New Zealand. It's a great place to start if you are looking for some pop in your wine drinking experience. Unlike many Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand it has more tropical fruit, melon and pear elements making it very pleasing and approachable. It's juicy, mouth-watering acidity on top of a tangy fruitiness makes for a real zing that can help any meal reach full potential. Pair it especially with grilled fish, mussels, and shrimp.

You can pick a bottle up for about $16.00. 

Here's a nice offering at Wine.com

To finish off things off, we have a Casal Garcia Vinho Verde from Portugal. This is a simple wine that offers fresh, fruity aromas that fit perfectly into a relaxed summer atmosphere. It suggests a hint of effervescence that adds a perky and lively feel to the core of acidity. Casal is crispy dry with just enough fruitiness to make you go back for more time and again. It's a focused wine that stays away from complications. It matches well with sushi, cheese dishes, seafood and salads. 

You can probably find this for under $10.00.

Check out Casal Garcia Vinho Verde 


I hope you savor these wines as much as Mary and I have over the years. With warm weather upon us, you can enjoy the long, hot days with respectable companions.  

Let me know you favorite summer wines.