Crisp Vermentino Masters Spaghetti all’Assassina with Seafood
Helen McGinn, Saturday Kitchen’s brilliant wine expert, recommends Banfi La Pettegola Vermentino from Italy to pair with our fiery spaghetti all’assassina with seafood. This match thrives on the wine’s razor-sharp acidity and mineral drive, which tame the pasta’s spicy tomato heat while elevating the briny seafood for pure Italian synergy.
The Wine: Maremma’s Coastal Star
“Very lovely Italian white to cool things down. So this is a Vermentino from Banfi. This is actually from Tuscany. It’s in Sainsbury’s. And Vermentino is one of those gorgeous grapes that we just don’t see here enough. I really love it. If you’re in Italy, you’ll find quite easy. it’s got the freshness and all those lovely citrus flavours. But it’s also got a bit of bite to it, which I think is what you need when you’ve got lots of spice in the dish like you have here. It’s such a nice grape. Love that. I really love it.” (Helen)
Sourced from Tuscany’s Maremma coast, Banfi’s La Pettegola is 100% Vermentino from vines near the Tyrrhenian Sea, where salty breezes infuse the grapes. Gentle pressing and stainless steel fermentation lock in its vibrant profile of green apple, lemon zest, white peach, and Mediterranean herbs, with a flinty minerality and saline finish that screams freshness. This elegant everyday white delivers precision and poise.
Why It Complements the Dish
Pairing science unpacks this flawless union through key elements.
Handling the Main Protein/Texture: The wine’s lean structure slices through seafood’s tender, juicy texture—shrimp and mussels—binding proteins for a clean, weightless lift.
Cutting Richness/Sauce: Piercing acidity cuts the bold tomato sauce’s richness and olive oil slickness, neutralising fats to balance the “killer” spice intensity.
Complementing Secondary Flavours: Citrus-herbal aromatics mirror garlic, chilli, and parsley notes, enhancing shared volatile compounds for amplified Puglian authenticity.
Not at your retailer? Seek similar zesty, saline Vermentinos like Antinori Tenuta Guado al Tasso (Waitrose) or Cecchi La Mora ( Sainsbury’s)—same crisp cut and seaside echo.
Discover Banfi La Pettegola today, cook this assassina masterpiece, and let Helen McGinn’s pick ignite your table—buon appetito!