Sicily, Italy
I probably drink too many Etna wines, so for a change here’s a Sicilian wine that is NOT from the volcano. It’s from the center of the island, near the city of Caltagirone, and it’s an unusual blend of two expected grapes (Nero d’Avola and Frappato) and one fairly unexpected one (Alicante Bouschet). Grown in dense vineyards planted with head-trained bush vines at about 1000 feet above sea level, this wine has a deep garnet color and a stony core surrounded by blackberry, licorice, and black cherry fruit. At once ripe and chiseled with acidity, this is a perfect expression of Sicily in many ways. It bears the i Vigneri stamp of consultant Salvo Foti, a good sign if there ever was one on Sicilian bottles.
I probably drink too many Etna wines, so for a change here’s a Sicilian wine that is NOT from the volcano. It’s from the center of the island, near the city of Caltagirone, and it’s an unusual blend of two expected grapes (Nero d’Avola and Frappato) and one fairly unexpected one (Alicante Bouschet). Grown in dense vineyards planted with head-trained bush vines at about 1000 feet above sea level, this wine has a deep garnet color and a stony core surrounded by blackberry, licorice, and black cherry fruit. At once ripe and chiseled with acidity, this is a perfect expression of Sicily in many ways. It bears the i Vigneri stamp of consultant Salvo Foti, a good sign if there ever was one on Sicilian bottles.
Jul 9th, 2021