Sicily: a Wine Lover’s "Paradiso"

              Sicilia offers unknown varietals grown in volcanic soil with an abundance of sunshine

Goethe got it right in many ways:  “To see Italy without having seen Sicily, is not to have seen Italy at all.”   That is certainly true of Sicily’s cuisine, but it is just as true of the island’s treasure trove of well-crafted wines.  Sicily’s huge number of indigenous grapes are a wine lover’s dream.  Nowhere else in the world can an oenophile experience this plethora of little known grape varietals all located within one region.  

                     The Ancient Greeks called Sicily "Oenotria," meaning the land of the vine 

One of the biggest show-stoppers in Sicily is its wines made from indigenous grapes.  Sicily has been making wine for more than 3,000 years.  As an important crossroad on the Mediterranean for centuries, the island was visited by everyone including the Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Moors, French & Spaniards.  All brought grapevines with them.  More importantly, it boasts nearly ninety varieties of wine grapes not grown anywhere else on the planet.

     Mt Etna has a tremendous effect on Sicily's weather & grape growing

Adding to the attraction of Sicily’s wines is the unique terroir of the island, much of which is influenced by volcanoes on the island.  “Volcano wines” is a new international buzz word and Sicily is at the epicenter of these new sought after wines.  As most wine lovers know the soil in which grapes are grown is instrumental.  Mineral-rich volcanic soil imparts deep complexities into the wines.  Volcanos also dramatically effect the island’s weather.  All of this translates to lush, fruit-forward complex wines with a hint of minerality.  Simply put, Sicily’s wines are stunning and offer wine lovers exciting new adventures in their glass.

                                            Vineyards on Sicily are never far from the sea

Take a look at three of these only-in-Sicily-wine grapes whose wines have won an array of international awards:

• Carricante is Mt. Etna’s signature white grape which has been growing on the volcano's slopes for >1,000 years.  Its wines offer a full range of citrus flavors, as well as herbal notes such as mint and licorice.

•  Frapatto, a red grape, is low in tannins making it a perfect summer red.  If you like strawberries, you’ll enjoy this wine.

•  Nero d’Avola is the island's hallmark grape.  Often compared to Syrah, Nero is a dark red grape that creates bold dark cherry, plum & spice flavors. 

Fantasy Island?  Treasure Island?  Paradise Island?   For wine aficionados, Sicily is all of these and more. 

 

Mt. Etna is Terroir on Steroids

                           Only 2 seats remain on WineKnows' trip to Sicily this October

This is the second article of June's month-long tribute to Sicily.  Mt. Etna, Europe’s most active volcano, offers one of the most profound examples of terroir in the wine world.  Terroir, considered the complete natural environment in which a wine is produced, includes such factors as climate, soil, topography, and even pests.  Mt. Etna offers an overwhelming diversity of all of these terroir elements.  Its terroir is so utterly unique that Etna is basically a micro-continent within the island of Sicily.

                 Oranges, apples, figs & cherries also love Etna's mineral-laced volcanic soil

Mt. Etna is Europe’s highest active volcano.  At a height of nearly 11,000 feet, Etna is topped with snow many months of the year.  Grapes are grown up to about 4,000 feet.  Altitude is a major element involved in climate on Mt. Etna.  The higher the altitude the greater the difference in diurnal swing (the difference between day and night temperatures.)  Diurnal shift is a critical component in making all world-class wines, and the Etna vineyards have substantial diurnal variations.

Altitude is also responsible for another important part of Etna’s terroir in that exposure to sunlight is a function of altitude.  UV exposure increases about 4% with every 1,000 foot gain in elevation.  The intense sun ray’s falling on Etna’s mineral heavy soils create an interplay of light and reflection.  This sunlight exposure on Etna is unparalleled to any other wine area in Europe.  Etna’s extra hours of sun (>1,000 more per year than in Northern Italy) make for completely unique growing conditions.

                                        Lava-based soil provides nutrients & drainage

The soils on Mt. Etna are also unique.  Formed as a result of the process of cooling and crystallizing of volcanic super-heated magma, there is a high presence of minerals in the soil.   Mineral-laden earth effects the final wine product in terms of color, aromas and tastes.   Etna’s lava-based soil also promotes excellent drainage---a critical factor in quality wine.

                   Etna has many vines >100 years old as pests find it difficult to thrive here

Mt. Etna’s vineyards were one of the few in Europe that were not wiped out in the late 19^th century by Phylloxera.  One of the most destructive louses ever known to world-wide vineyards, Phylloxera for an unknown reason did not destroy the vines on Etna (although it did annihilate many of Sicily’s vineyards).    

                 Come learn more about Etna's magical terroir with Wine-Knows this October

Mt. Etna has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO (United Nation’s Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).  The volcano’s diverse terroirs have a monumental impact on Etna’s wines.   The following highly recommended wines are great examples of Etna’s terroir-in-a-glass, and all are worth every Euro of their bargain price:

• Cusumano Etna Bianco Alta Mora (white)

• Cantine Nicosia Etna Bianco Fondo Filara Contrada Monte Goma (white)

• Planeta Etna Bianco (white)

• Passopisciaro Contrada Sciaranuova (red)

• Firriato Etna Rosso Cavanera Rovo delle Cotumie  (red)

• Girolamo Russo Etna Rosso A Rina (red)

Most of these wines are available in the US and they are worth seeking out.  Or, you can join Wine-Knows this October when we'll be visiting Mt. Etna and sampling many of these wines during our ten day trip.

Sicily: Are Ancient Varieties the Future?

                                Wine-Knows has 2 openings on its October trip this fall to Sicily

This is the first of four articles on Sicily, a region of Italy that has been growing grapes for more than 3,000 years.  As an important crossroad on the Mediterranean for centuries, the island was visited by everyone including the Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, French and Spaniards.  All brought grapevines with them.  Today, Sicily has the largest number of vineyards in all of Italy.  More importantly, it boasts nearly ninety varieties of wine grapes not grown anywhere else on the planet.

Sicily has some of the greatest Greek temples in Europe

Sicily’s huge number of indigenous grapes are a wine lover’s dream.  No where else in the world can an oenophile experience this plethora of little known grape varietals all located in one region.  The last twenty years has seen a renaissance with these native varieties.  Winemakers now are seeing the value of unique grapes, and are actually moving away from the international varietals (Chardonnay, Cabernet) that were so popular in the 1990’s.

Vineyards are never far from the sea in Sicily

Below are four only-in-Sicily wines that are knocking it out of the park with great quality/price and a host of international awards:

Grillo: 

The white Grillo grape is somewhat like a Sicilian combo of Sauv Blanc and Pinot Grigio.   Grillo can make a seductive wine with aromas of white flowers and citrus.  Depending on the soil in which it is grown (most of Sicily’s soil is volcanic), it can deliver herbal (e.g. chamomile) nuances, all the way to spicy or tropical notes.  Grillo is an actual cross between two Sicilian grapes: Catarratto (see below) and Zibbibo (a member of the aromatic Muscat family of grapes).

Don’t miss the following Grillos which are quality wines at bargain prices: Il Fondo Antico’s Grillo Parlante, or Assuli’s Astolfo.

                              Mt Etna has a tremendous effect on Sicily's grape growing

Carricante:

Carricante is a Sicilian native white grape that has been growing on Mt. Etna for over 1,000 years.  Mt Etna not only has the highest vineyards in Italy but it also offers a terroir of intense sunlight and dramatic volcanic soil.  Carricante thrives here.  In fact, it has become the white signature grape of the Etna DOC (all of these whites must be at least 60% Carricante).   

The grape offers a full range of citrus flavors, as well as herbal notes such as mint and licorice.  Check out Etna Bianco by Planeta, as well as Passopisciaro---both are stunning.

Frapatto:

Frapatto is a refreshing and fruity red wine and it's made from an indigenous red grape of the same name.  In the past, it has been blended with other grapes, however, Frapatto is becoming more and more popular on its own.   A light bodied wine with low tannins, it’s a perfect summer red that can even be enjoyed as an aperitif.   If you like strawberries, then you’ll enjoy Frapatto as this fruit flavor is prevalent, along with subtle floral notes.

Recommended producers?   Look for Occhipenti, COS, and Alessandro di Camporeale.

Nero D’Avola:

Nero D’Avola is the King of all Sicilian grapes----whether they are indigenous or not.  This native varietal used to be grown only in the southeast corner of the island, however, it is now grown in all parts of the island.  The wine changes depending on where the grapes were grown.   In the glass, Nero D’Avola is known for its aromatics as well as its red fruit flavors, and its spicy and floral profile.

Top producers of indigenous grape wines include Cusumano, Feudo Maccari and Feudo Montoni.

 

Viva Sicilia!!!