| Type | White |
|---|---|
| Grapes | Vermentino Nero (ancient indigenous red variety of Candia hills — distinct from white Vermentino) |
| Vinification | Short skin contact; slow fermentation; 12 months oak caratello |
| Serving temp. | 14-16°C (slightly cool; excellent as aperitif too) |
| Style | Ancient indigenous red of historical depth and individual character |
| Longevity | 4+ years; excellent bottles at 6-8 years (estate record) |
| Food pairing | Fish (all preparations); white meats; salami; semi-aged cheeses; radicchio trevigiano; aperitif |
Vermentino Nero is the wine of the Vernero estate that carries the deepest historical roots — a wine rich in history and primitive origins, produced from an indigenous red grape variety of the Candia hills whose presence in this territory predates the estate's own one hundred and fifty years of continuous cultivation. The name is technically counterintuitive — Vermentino is almost universally known as a white grape variety — but the Vermentino Nero of the Candia hills is a distinct and separate variety of ancient standing that happens to share the Vermentino name while producing a red wine of entirely different character.
The wine presents as ruby red and crystalline with good consistency — the colour of a wine of genuine concentration and genuine clarity simultaneously. The nose is intense and persistent, with ample fruity notes of marasca, blackberry, and blueberry — the dark fruit trio of a variety that has adapted over centuries to the specific mineral conditions of the Candia hillside. Floral notes of broom accompany the fruit, alongside the pleasant roasting of coffee and memory of vanilla berries that the oak ageing produces.
The production method follows the estate's classical approach, characterised by a short stay in the skins and slow fermentation — a light extraction approach that preserves the varietal character while building sufficient structure for ageing. The wine then ages in oak caratello for twelve months before bottle release, a period sufficient to integrate the tannins and develop the complexity that the variety's inherent character contains.
Vermentino Nero can be stored for at least four years from the harvest — and the estate mentions, with appropriate pride, that they have uncorked excellent bottles even after six to eight years. It is a wine that rewards patience and that reveals in time a character of genuine individuality that very early consumption does not fully disclose.
Available through UniqueWines. 150+ years of Candia hills viticulture.
