What Is Verdeca?
Verdeca is a white grape of Puglia, grown mainly in the Valle d'Itria around Locorotondo and Martina Franca. It makes light, dry, fresh whites with citrus, green apple and herbal notes, a rare crisp style in a region best known for big reds.
The name comes from the green tint of the berries and of the young wine (verde means green). For much of the 20th century Verdeca was valued for its high yields and good acidity, and much of the crop was sold in bulk as a base for other wines. Since the 1990s more producers have bottled it on its own, and today it is one of the most typical white grapes of Puglia.
Where Verdeca Grows
- Valle d'Itria and the Murge: the limestone plateau around Locorotondo, Martina Franca, Cisternino and Alberobello, the land of the trulli. Altitude and cool nights keep the wines fresh.
- Gravina area: on the western edge of the Murge, near the border with Basilicata.
- Salento: smaller plantings, often used for blends or varietal IGT wines.
Small amounts are also found in Campania and Basilicata.
Verdeca and Italian Denominations
- Locorotondo DOC: mainly Verdeca with Bianco d'Alessano, in still and sparkling versions.
- Martina Franca DOC: a similar blend of Verdeca and Bianco d'Alessano.
- Gravina DOC: a white blend that can include Verdeca with Malvasia and Greco.
- Puglia IGT: the most common label for varietal Verdeca.
- Salento IGT: varietal Verdeca and white blends from the south of the region.
Flavor Profile and Tasting Notes
- Fruit: lemon, grapefruit, green apple, pear and a little white peach.
- Other notes: fresh herbs, fennel, almond and a light saline touch.
- Structure: light to medium body, moderate alcohol, fresh acidity, pale straw colour with green tints.
Most Verdeca is made in stainless steel and is best within one or two years of the vintage, served well chilled. A few producers age it on the lees or in larger wood for a rounder, fuller wine.
Food Pairing
- Raw seafood: oysters, mussels and crudo of fish, a classic on the Puglia coast.
- Fried fish: small fried fish and calamari.
- Vegetable dishes: orecchiette with turnip tops, grilled vegetables and fava bean purée.
- Fresh cheese: burrata, mozzarella and stracciatella.
- Aperitivo: taralli, olives and light snacks.
How to Choose and Where to Start
Start with a varietal Verdeca from Puglia IGT, which is easy to find and usually inexpensive, then try a Locorotondo DOC to taste the traditional blend. Producers worth knowing include San Marzano, Leone de Castris, Tenuta Macchiarola, Polvanera, Produttori di Manduria, Donato Angiuli and Marco Ludovico.
Verdeca is a fresh counterpoint to the reds of Primitivo and Negroamaro, and shares the light, coastal style of Falanghina and Vermentino. Read our best Puglia wines, the best wines for seafood, or browse the grape varieties index.