Rolle Grape variety guide: history, French regions, taste & food pairing
Rolle is the Provençal name for Vermentino, the aromatic white grape that brings freshness, herbal perfume and a saline edge to the whites and rosés of Provence and the Languedoc.
Learn more about Rolle
History & origins
Rolle has been grown along the Mediterranean coast for centuries and was long thought to be a separate variety until DNA confirmed it is identical to Italy's Vermentino and Corsica's Vermentinu. In Nice's tiny Bellet appellation it has been the leading white grape for generations. Since the rosé boom, Provençal producers have also blended a little Rolle into pale rosés for aroma and finesse.
French regions & appellations
Côtes de Provence, Bellet, Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence, Coteaux Varois, Palette and Bandol whites; Languedoc AOC, Pic Saint-Loup, La Clape and Minervois; IGP Pays d'Oc.
Taste profile
Medium-bodied with lemon, lime zest, pear, white peach, fennel, rosemary and a gently bitter almond, saline finish.
Food pairing
Grilled sea bream, bouillabaisse, soupe au pistou, pissaladière, salade Niçoise, goat cheese and herb-roasted chicken.
Where Rolle grows in France
Wine regions: Provence
Appellations: Côtes de Provence