Vermentino aka "The Stumper" turned out to be a head-scratchier for wine judges at a recent competition. An example of the grape was served blind as a pre-game "warm-up" wine, the equivalent for your palate of stretching before a run. Dan Berger, one of the tasters present who was unable to identify the grape, reflected on why he and the majority of his colleagues swung and missed on this one in the Napa Valley Register. As Berger explains, "...vermentino is anything but an assertively aromatic, easily identified variety."
And the judges probably were surprised to receive a Vermentino not from Italy, but rather Texas: the 2012 Duchman Family Winery.
Looking for more domestic Vermentino? You can also try California, where plantings are miniscule. Berger suggests these producers:
Staying on the West Coast, I'd also recommend checking out Oregon's Troon Vineyard.
How are your blind tasting skills? Do you find certain grapes easier to pick out than others?
