For those of you who couldn’t make the October trip
to Sicilia, here are my thoughts on the “best of the best,” listed in alpha order:
Baglio di Pianetto
Wine-Knows ends our Sicilian tours at the special
villa that is owned by Count Marzotto, one of Italy’s largest patron of the
arts, as well as one of the country’s most powerful wine-moguls. The Count’s chief winemaker (who presides over
all of Marzotto’s wine empire), flew down from northern Italy to welcome our
group. The most compelling wine was the
2007 Salici, a Merlot that had been aged in a combination of new French oak and
stainless. While the vintage is
difficult to find, it’s worth seeking out.
$30
Donnafugata
One of my perennial favorites in which to bring our
Wine-Knows groups, Donnafugata’s private country is spectacular. Our private dinner here began with an aperitivo in the gorgeous garden just as
the sun was setting. This wine which was
served to “wet our appetite,” is one of my most beloved in Sicily and is made
from a relative of the Muscat grape.
Sicilians call the varietal Zibbibo, and Donnafugata has named their
version Lighea. This Zibbibo is bone dry,
offering a rich bouquet of peaches and floral nuances such as roses and orange
blossoms. Love, love, love it. $20
Feudi Del Pisciotto
This winery was dazzling. Once a former village, the entire small hill-top
hamlet has been purchased by the winery.
Former homes have been converted into hotel rooms, other homes are
slated for a restaurant and holiday apartments. The church is now a stunning setting for
wine-related events such as the private tasting held for Wine-Knows. Each wine is named after the Italian fashion
designer who created its work-of-art label (e.g. Versace, Brioni,
Valentino). Carolina Marengo’s seductive
label had me at hello, but it was what inside that stole my heart. This killer wine, made from the 2012 vintage
of Grillo, was a luscious taste of the nearby sea, mixed with complex layers of
apricots and pineapple. I brought this
bottle home to my husband. Need I say
more? $35
A church turned into a winery reception area.
Gulfi
Asking to choose a favorite at this very special
property (a Napa-esque estate built with a mega Euro fortune) is like asking a
parent to name their favorite child.
What I will say, however, is that the *best buy* at Gulfi is probably
their well-crafted Cerasuolo di Vittoria 2012, Sicily’s only DOCG. Made from a combination of Nero d’Avola and
Frappato ( a lighter, strawberry nuanced wine), Gulfi’s rendition is sublime
for its price tag. Should you ever visit
Sicily, consider staying on this property and definitely dine in their
restaurant---one of the best meals of Wine-Knows’ recent tour. $25
Passopisciaro
Mount Etna has the highest vineyards in Europe. This Etna winery produces single vineyard
wine which they call “contrada.” A contrada
is actually a specific lava path where super-heated magma once flowed down the
sides of the still active volcano. These
contradas are comprised of decomposed, mineral rich volcanic soil. Their Contrada
R 2012 was a knock-out. Made
from Nerello Mascalese (which are only grown on Etna), these grapes came from
100 year old vines. The result was a
complex eruption in my mouth of layers of red-fruit mixed with beautiful
mineral nuances. $50
Etna exerts a tremendous effect over the entire island's terroir
Riofavara
Located in Sicily far southeastern corner, the limestone
soils of this winery offer one of the island’s premier spots for growing the Nero
d’Avola varietal. Only grown in Sicily, this
grape is becoming more and more popular for oenophiles. An aged “Nero,” can offer complex aromas of
leather, cocoa, licorice and cinnamon, with mineral overlays of mint. Riofavara’s Schiavé 2010 was all of this and
more. Kermit Lynch in Berkeley, Ca. is
the importer. $30
The owner & winemaker of Riofavara conducted a private tasting
Settesoli (MandraRossa Brand)
This was my first time to visit Sicily’s largest
producer, but it won’t be my last. Our
private tasting here was led by one of the winemakers who presented an
impressive lineup of the winery’s top tier, Mandrarossa. I couldn’t decide between the heavenly white
Santa Nella 2012 (crafted most from the local Fiano grape with a sprinkling of
Chenin Blanc) and the Bonera 2013, a fabulous blend of half Cabernet Franc and
half Nero d’Avola. Again, all 8 wines we
tasted during the formal 2 hour seminar were well made.
No comments:
Post a Comment