Screaming Betty Vermentino 2025, Delinquente

The 2025 Screaming Betty Vermentino from Delinquente is bright, salty, citrusy, and just off-kilter enough to earn the name. Grown organically in the Riverland of South Australia, this Vermentino brings grapefruit, lemon-lime, green apple, nashi pear, and a little herbal snap, with a faintly floral edge and a texture that keeps it from feeling too skinny.

Wild fermented in stainless steel and aged briefly on fine lees, it has that lovely push-pull of crisp acidity and subtle creaminess. Think coastal Italian white wine energy, but with Australian sunshine and a delinquent little grin. Pour it with seafood, salty snacks, bright salads, or anything involving lemon, herbs, and a good excuse to linger.

About the Winery

Delinquente Wine Co. is based in South Australia’s Riverland, a region better known historically for volume than for small-batch, personality-forward wines. Delinquente takes a different route. Founded by people who grew up around the Murray River and the region’s vineyards, the project is built around organically grown Southern Italian varieties that actually make sense in the Riverland’s hot, dry climate.

That choice is both practical and philosophical. Grapes like Vermentino, Nero d’Avola, Montepulciano, and Bianco d’Alessano are naturally comfortable with heat, drought, and sun. They hold acidity, ripen without needing endless fuss, and allow Delinquente to make wines that feel fresh rather than heavy. In a region where climate is not exactly getting cooler, that matters.

The wines are made with wild fermentations, minimal intervention, and a clear preference for energy over polish. They’re playful, but not unserious. The labels, drawn by artist Jason “Ankles” Koen, are part of the whole world Delinquente has built: loud, rebellious, hand-drawn characters with a streak of social conscience and a refusal to behave nicely on the shelf.

Screaming Betty fits right in. It’s Vermentino with swagger: bright, salty, textured, and just strange enough to keep things interesting.