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July selections - Sicilian wines

vigne sicilia

JULY WINE BOX: WINES OF SICILY (Stage #28), led by sommelier Alessia Taffaril

Door of the wind - Camporeale (Palermo)

The farm is located in the valley of the same name, 600 meters above sea level, in Camporeale in the province of Palermo.

Marco Sferlazzo, the owner, was a pharmacist, then the turning point that led him to wine.

Eighteen hectares of vines: the soil is sandy, on a sandstone rock crust, the vineyards are cultivated as saplings and are almost 50 years old, all facing north.

The cultivation is organic and biodynamic, with certification; very low yields, manual harvest and grapes collected in boxes. The advantage of the high altitude is the good level of acidity that Marco's wines are able to achieve, combined with his great cellar skills.

Porta del Vento wines are characterized by finesse and freshness, they fully express the terroir : "handmade" wines, which surprise with every sip.

Il Mortellito , Contrada Maccari - Noto (SR)

Young agricultural company that extends over 25 hectares of vineyards in the Noto valley area, between the Bufalefi, Maccari and Cozzo Tronzo districts in the area that was once called "A Murtedda", a term that apparently once referred to the myrtle.

The company's objective is to create wines that reflect the natural characteristics of the territory: wines with great personality and far from passing fashions.

Mortellito was born from the desire to experience the relationship with the land, a passion that pushed Dario, Valentina, Mario and Melina to dedicate themselves to native crops, to fully express the territory.

Their work is aimed at obtaining ripe and healthy grapes, it is work done mainly in the vineyard, without any forcing in the cellar. The wines undergo spontaneous fermentation without the addition of selected yeasts to the must and without the use of wooden barrels in the refinement, to maintain the strong identity of the variety. They grow grapes, olive trees from which they draw olive oil and almonds for jam, always fully respecting the crops, which are all organic.

Marabino , Noto (SR)

In south-eastern Sicily, in the heart of the Noto valley, there is Pierpaolo Messina, sommelier and owner of the young Marabino company, which takes its name from another family property, the Marabino tower, of Saracen origins and transformed into a splendid relais .

Theirs is a young reality, the first wine was born in 2002. They work with around 30 hectares of land, the hot temperatures become almost arid in the height of summer with predominantly calcareous/clayey soils 7 kilometers away from the sea.

Vineyards, orchards and olive groves are cultivated entirely with organic and biodynamic agriculture.

Particular attention is paid to native vines and the mass selection has made it possible to identify different biotypes of Nero d'Avola alongside the replanted Moscato Bianco from which Moscato di Noto derives. The well-ripe grapes are selected and harvested by hand, ferment spontaneously with indigenous yeasts, without any use of products or additives to express the terroir in an integral way. Pierpaolo's wines leave no doubt and do not go unnoticed, they give energy to this corner of island paradise, thanks to the courage to undertake agriculture without anything added.

Baglio Bonsignore , Naro (AG)

A young company located in the countryside of Naro, in the province of Agrigento, founded in 2016 as the fulfillment of the dream of Luigi and Debora, who left their previous life to start creating their wine. Since then, the restoration of the company (including the cubburo, a stone shed from the Neolithic era) and the first production, with the help of the oenologist Tonino Guzzo and the organic certification. Today Baglio Bonsignore has around 10 hectares of vineyards (located between 300 and 450 meters above sea level) and produces 3 labels from Syrah, Nero d'Avola, Grillo and Chardonnay grapes, for a total of around 40,000 bottles a year.

ENTHUSIAST BOX

Sparkling Catarratto “Voria”, Door of the wind

Voria, whose name, in dialect, means "wind", is a sparkling wine made from Catarratto grapes (there is also a rosé version, with Perricone grapes).

A lot of salinity immediately emerges on the nose, balanced by a pleasant note of yeast and many white flowers. In the mouth we find a genuine wine, easy to drink, fresh, very fresh indeed!

The grapes are harvested by hand, destemmed and fermented with only indigenous yeasts.

The vinification takes place in cement, the refermentation in the bottle with the addition of the must to the base wine. It is not filtered or disgorged and in fact shows the yeasts in suspension ( sur lie ).

Very easy to drink, it is perfect on a hot sunny day.

To drink immediately, without waiting, fresh (Serving temperature: 8-10° C.)

Pairing:

Alone without any combination after a day in the sun or accompanied by delicately fried fish, bread, butter and anchovies.

White Calajancu, Il Mortellito

The limestone soils 40 meters above sea level cradle the grapes of Calajancu Bianco, a blend of cricket and catarratto. The wine is macerated for 12 hours on the skins to have more extraction, the indigenous yeasts contribute to spontaneous fermentation with 6/7 months of aging in steel.

A grape juice, a natural white, direct, gritty and with an explosive, aromatic and mineral nose at the right point. At the first sip it strongly recalls Sicily with nuances of lemon, olive, oregano and coriander; at the first heat of the temperature everything is embellished with notes of dried and tropical fruit.

Drink now or keep in the cellar for up to 5 years.

Serving temperature: 8-10° C.

Pairing:

spicy or spicy fish first courses; vegetable quiche.

Grillo “OI”, Baglio Bonsignore

Pure cricket, refined in steel. Exuberant on the nose: it stands out for its fruity aromas, especially papaya but also peach, apple, apricot; but then there is also almond, a note of rosemary and a hint of honey. In the mouth the freshness is supported by the structure, with a beautiful mineral and saline vein. Elegant and with a nice full and fresh finish.

To be enjoyed immediately or aged for 3-4 years.

Serving temperature: 8-10° C.

Pairing:

Perfect with fish.

EXPERT BOX

Catarratto Sicilian Lands, Door of the wind

The Catarratto grapes come from vineyards located at 600 meters above sea level, on sandy soils.

At the time of harvest, the bunches are selected and harvested by hand: the selection lowers the yields per hectare, favoring quality.

The alcoholic fermentation of the must takes place in concrete tanks as does the refinement for 6 months. The winemaking takes place without any additions.

Straw yellow with golden nuances, the nose is territorial and broad: orange blossom, wild flowers, chamomile, wild herbs, citrus fruits and an almost brackish minerality.

On the sip it is very fresh but with a solid structure, balanced, fruity and with a very long drinkability.

Prone to good aging.

Serving temperature: 8-10° C.

Pairing:

Stewed octopus or spaghetti with sea urchins.

White Moscato from Noto “Viaria”, Il Mortellito

Moscatella di Noto with small berries (a variety of Moscato di Noto) grown on limestone plantings, from plants that are approximately 5 years old. In the vineyard the agriculture is organic, without treatments or herbicides. The bunches are left in the sun until the end of September, to dry. A week before the harvest, 30% of the grapes are harvested and left to dry further on wooden racks.

In the cellar: 48 hours of maceration on the skins, then it is drawn off and the must is kept at room temperature. The fermentation takes place without the introduction of yeasts, with aging in steel for 8 months.

After the fruity notes, apricot and lemon above all, it stands out for its herbaceous aromas (rosemary, thyme, mint...) while with aging, very characteristic balsamic aromas emerge. The saline, iodized note is beautiful.

To drink immediately or to keep in the cellar for 5 years or more and therefore enjoy its evolving notes, given its tendency to age.

Serving temperature: approximately 10° C.

Pairing:

Perfect with white meats such as rabbit but also worth trying with fish, shellfish and sushi.

Moscato di Noto “Fondo alla palma”, Marabino

Wine obtained from white muscat grapes, it comes from a hand-grafted Pachino sapling vineyard with mass selection, cultivated on black clay soil. The grapes are vinified with the skins for about two weeks in steel, then mature for 24 months in mulberry barrels (neutral wood that allows the wine to evolve without affecting its aromatic profile). After the long period of maturation in cask it attenuates its varietal aromatic note, leaving room for aromas that recall the territory. Then notes of apricot, jasmine, sandalwood and elderberry. On the palate you can perceive the aromatic density of the wine, never intrusive, the freshness is contained but balanced by a tannic texture, which requires an approach to serving and pairing with dishes equal to that of a red.

Produced in very few bottles per year (only 2000), it has excellent aging potential. Serve at a temperature of 14-16° C, in a large glass.

Pairing: the 2016 vintage Fondo alla palma is a well-known advanced Moscato, unique in its kind, its complexity makes it suitable for land pairings, such as pork with herbs, as long as there is no tomato.

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