Sicily Flashcards
Grapes
Catarrato: 33% Nero d'Avola: 16% Grillo: 6% Inzolia: 6% Syrah: 5% Chardonnay: 5%
Climate
Warm Mediterranean Climate
Low rainfall necessitates irrigation
Different climates per sub region
Cataratto
High yielding and disease resistant
Light lemon and herbal, high acidity, med alcohol.
Inexpensive and acceptable to good
Also Marsala
Grillo
Natural cross between Cataratto and Moscato
Moderately high yielding and heat resistant and disease resistant. Very suitable for Sicily’s warm dry climate.
Care needed to ensure no over exposure to the bunches which can lose aroma.
Must oxidizes quickly so needs protection. Full bodied, med lemon and floral, med alcohol and high acid.
Good to very good; inexpensive to mid
Marco de Bartoli produces a prem oak aged
Inzolia or Ansonica
Early ripening, good drought resistance. Needs to be picked early to retain acidity.
Med minus lemon, med acid and body. Useful blending partner with higher acid Catarratto and Grillo. Inexpensive to mid and acceptable to good with some very good. Valle dell’Acate and Principi di Butera.
Moscato
Muscat of Alexandria; locally known as Zibibbo
Heat and drought resistant; used in a wide range of styles; espec on island of Pantelleria which is closer to Tunisia than Sicily. Here intense sunlight, heat and drying winds mean that only the most drought resistant varieties can flourish. Low bush vines planted in individual planting holes to conserve water and protect from wind.
Three styles made on Pantelleria:
Dry: Fermented in stainless, released early to retain aromatics
Late harvest: picked a week later than for dry. Fermentation stopped to retain RS for a sweeter style.
Passito: Made with semi-dried grapes, traditionally sun-dried with high RS
Challenge to balance sweetness with acidity. Some pick early then dry it in sun for 20 - 30 days. These dried berries are added to the must of very ripe fruit.
Passitos are deep lemon color, pronounced cooked orange, apricot, honey. Sweet with high alcohol. Very good to outstanding and prem to super.
Donnafugata for all stules
Nero d’Avola
AKA Calabrese
Grows well in a hot climate; late ripening
Often grown close to the ground to maximize heat. But it is adaptable and can grow in cooler damper sites.
Very vigorous and requires canopy management and susceptible to powdery mildew. Can suffer from uneven flowering which can impact yields year to year.
Med to deep ruby, red cherry black plum, med plus to high tannin and med to med plus acid. Can produce very good to outstanding with concentration that are aged small oak and mid to prem. At high yields makes acceptable to good, short time in stainless, and inexpensive to mid
Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG: Nero (50% - 70%) Blended with Frappato (30% - 50%) and internationals. 52hl/ha. Also in many Sicilian DOC’s (70 - 77hl/ha) and in IGT or “wine”
Gulfi (varietal) and Feudo Montoni. For DOCG Cerasuolo; Cos and Planeta
Nerello Mascalese
Grown for volume production at high yields across Sicily. But also well regarded when from Etna.
Early budding (frost); coulure; late ripening (autumn rain). Prone to powdery mildew and botrytis bunch rot.
At altitudes of 400 - 1,000 on Etna has a long season for intense flavors. Must deleaf around the fruit zone at the right time. Too early sun burn, too late won’t fully ripen (unripe flavors and harsh tannin)
Med to pale ruby, high intensity red cherry, violet, herbal; high acid, med to high tannin and high end of med alcohol.
Kept on skins for a short time (10 - 15 days) to prevent too much tannin. Top producers (Graci) keep for much longer (30 - 90 days) thinking this give smoother tannins.
Etna Rosso DOC
Min 80% Nerello Mascalese; remainder Nerello Capuccio. Best are from old vines (60 - 100 yrs) for high concentration but low yields.
Most on moderate to steep slopes so work done by hand. Max 56hl/ha.
Riserva 4 years of aging; one of which in wood.
Pale ruby, med red cherry, high acid, med plus to high tannin. Usually aged in large neutral oak (500 - 600L). Very good to outstanding and mid to prem.
Carricante
Main variety in Etna Bianco DOC. Min 60% of this variety but best are 100%. Catarratto the other partner.
Prone to fungal diseases. Grows well at high altitudes (up to 1,000m) where black grapes fail to ripen. Large diurnal ranges give acidity. Normally go through MLF to reduce acid.
Aged in old oak for texture. Med lemon and green apple, high acid, med alcohol. Very good to outstanding and mid to prem. Very low vol of production.
Scilia DOC
In 2011 this former IGT became a DOC. Covers a large range of varieties and blends.
Max 91hl/ha white and 84 hl/ha red.
Initially no requirement for bottling in the DOC. So large vols were shipped elsewhere but this is now fixed.
Business
Led by a small number of large private co’s. Planeta, Donnafugata, Tesca d’Almerita.
Also has important coops. Settesoli: 2,000 growers and 6,000ha (7% of all Sicilian vineyards).
Historically much transported in bulk to add alcohol and body to wines from cooler climates. Still large bulk producer with only 20% being bottled.
70 businesses representing 80% of bottled wine by value are members of Assovini Sicilia which promotes around the world.
