The best wines of Sicily: review, reviews

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

The largest island in the Mediterranean basin - Sicily - is known not only for its volcanoes and breathtaking mafia stories. The gastronomic advantages of this place are on a par with natural, historical and cultural.

The wines of Sicily are a special topic worthy of further study. No matter what you say about the subtle nuances of drinks from Veneto, the Asti Valley and other northern Italian appellations, the island supplies a quarter of the country's alcoholic exports. In this article, we will "taste" only the best wines of Sicily.

Drink features

Some sommeliers claim that in the hot, African-like climate of the island, the berries accumulate too much sugar to make good wines. Say, they are characteristic, powerful, not bad quench their thirst. But they do not have that overflow of nuances in taste, for which French wines are so valued. Yes, until 2011, drinks from this region had IGT status. But now they are assigned the DOC category, and the appellation"Cerasuolo di Vittoria" - even DOCG. The island produces not only dessert wines, but also dry ones. Both red and white drinks have performed well.

History of winemaking in Sicily

The first vines on the island were planted by the Phoenicians. This is evidenced by archaeological finds dating back to the second millennium BC. In the 8th century BC e. Greek settlements began to appear on the island. They were the first to start breeding varieties. But the Greeks practiced winemaking on the trees, letting the vine climb up the trunks (mostly olives).

The Romans who came to the island changed the cultivation system, but left autochthonous varieties. The wines of Sicily were famous throughout the ancient world. Julius Caesar, for example, loved mamertino, while Pliny preferred faro. Even during the Arab conquest of the island, wine production did not stop. This industry developed even more under the rule of the Aragonese and Angevin dynasties, becoming paramount in the economy of Sicily.

But in modern times, the winemaking of Sicily was created world fame by the British, who fell in love with marsala. In the 19th century, the industry suffered a terrible disaster. Phylloxera aphid has destroyed all the vineyards of Europe. And Sicily is no exception. Only high on the slopes of Etna, pre-phylloxera lands have been preserved, where the vine is grown, as in the old days, with one bush. It took half a century for the industry to recover. Now winemaking is going through a period of rapid development. Let's look at the main appellations and the most famous brands.

Features of the localwinemaking

The main distinguishing feature of the production of alcohol in Sicily is that alien varieties are not favored here. Merlot, Cabernet and Pinot Noir are grown only on a very small scale. But basically 28 varieties are cultivated here, which are considered either autochthonous or imported in ancient times (such as Syrah or Muscat).

The island is divided into several wine-producing zones. In the east, mainly red varieties are grown, and in the west, white ones. The wines of Sicily are valued for their full body. To say that the drink is "corposo" means to compliment him. Tourists are amazed by the vineyards themselves. Growers do not plant each vine separately, supporting it on metal rods, but allow it to grow as a whole bush, which is called alberello. The harvest in Sicily lasts longer than other regions of Italy - as much as 90 days. This, by the way, allows the island to develop another branch of the economy - agritourism.

Grape varieties

Vines that were bred on the island in ancient times are so inextricably linked with local soils and climate that they are completely "lost" in another region. Only under the hot sun, on volcanic soils and under the breath of the sea breeze, autochthonous varieties acquire their unique character. Of the red ones, these are Calabrese (imported from the extreme south of Italy), Perricone, Nerello (with subspecies of Cappuccio and Mascalese), Frappato.

But the most famous variety, which glorified the wines of Sicily all over the world, is Nero d'Avola. He, like a chameleon, changes his qualities depending on the terroir. Therefore, the wine of this variety shouldbuy only DOC categories. Of the white varieties, the most famous is Grillo. It gives the drinks body, texture, and storage potential. Other white varieties include Damaschino, Carricante, Inzolia, Grecanico, Malvasia di Lipare, Zibibbo, and the most ancient, Cataratto. Sicilian producers also make blended wines. But there are also excellent varietal drinks.

Appellations

It's hard to say which terroir is the best in Sicily. Wines are excellent everywhere, because in each appellation those varieties are grown that are maximally revealed in the given area. Sicily is surrounded by smaller land areas. These are the Aeolian Islands, Lampedusa, Pantelleria. They make liqueurs and dessert wines.

On the slopes of Etna, Vulcano and Stramboli there are soils enriched with minerals. Some vineyards are located at an altitude of 1200 meters above sea level. In the vast Etna sub-region, DOCs produce both white and red drinks. Volcano wines are often compared to French wines (primarily Pinot Noir and Gris) because they are subtle, elegant and have excellent organoleptic qualities. The largest sub-region in Sicily - Marsala DOC - is located in the vicinity of the city of Trapani.

Learning to read labels

Even the most hyped and famous brand produces drinks of different quality - “every day” and vintage wines of the best vintage. Therefore, before buying a bottle, carefully read its label. The main secret of quality lies in the abbreviations. With the words "vino da Tavola" (sometimesthe abbreviated V.d. T. is used), the usual table wines of Sicily are marked. This is the lowest price segment. A bottle costs about 45 rubles. The label does not indicate where the drink was harvested, nor the grape variety.

IGT stands for Indicazione Geografica Tipica. Wines with a "Typical Geographical Identification" are of high quality and light. They may indicate the variety and year of harvest. But the production process is at the mercy of the wine house. The cost of such drinks in Sicily is from 90 to 250 rubles per bottle.

The abbreviation DOC stands for Controlled Designation of Origin. Wines with this status are produced in a clearly defined area, from varieties permitted by law, with permitted indicators of the yield of finished products. This is closely watched by the National Institute of Original Names.

As already mentioned, only one appellation on the island has a DOCG category. This abbreviation corresponds to the highest quality according to GOST in Russia. The letter G in it means "guarantee". All drinks produced in the Cerasuolo di Vittoria wine region in the southeast of Sicily are necessarily elite. The following zones have DOC status: Alcano, Vittoria, Contea di Sclafani, Eloro, Etna, Marsala, Noto, Faro, Monreale and others.

Best of the best

The only DOCG sub-region on the island covers a small area. It includes the communes of Ragusa, Catania and C altanisetta. But this area produces the best red wine in Sicily. Only two varieties are cultivated here: Nero d'Avola andFrappato. The subregion Cerasuolo di Vittoria was founded in the early 17th century by the daughter of the viceroy of Sicily, Vittoria Colonna Henriques. Countess Modike, in order to attract new settlers, gave each family a hectare of land for vineyards.

During such an economic experiment, it turned out that in the vicinity of the town of Vittoria there are unique climatic features and soils. The sub-region has been hit hard by the phylloxera pandemic, but the newly planted vines have produced an equally remarkable harvest. Wineries "Ochchipinti", "Curto", "Kos", "Planet", "Gulfi", "Feudi del Pisciotto" have long been cultivating an assemblage of powerful, characteristic "Nero d'Avola" and soft, graceful, elegant "Frappato".

Marsala

This most famous aged red wine of Sicily is the same gastronomic "visiting card" of the island as tequila is for Mexico or vodka is for Russia. The drink began to be produced in ancient times from the Grillo variety. These are white grapes. But the drink from it turns out a specific color, which, according to the classification of shades, received the name "Marsala". In fashion, it is characterized as a mixture of burgundy and brown.

But marsala wines vary in color into “oro” (gold), “ambergris” and “ruby”. The latter type is made from a blend of Grillo and red grapes. There is also a classification according to the sugar content. Dry marsala has less than 40 g per 1 liter, semi-dry - from 40 to 100, and the most famous dessert variety - more than one hundred grams per liter. Usually the wine has a strength of about 20 degrees.

But there are lessand more mature types of marsala (virgine and riserva). Interestingly, the Englishman John Wodehouse ensured worldwide fame for this wine, who at the end of the 18th century began to produce it at a small factory near Trapani. Now marsala is an indispensable ingredient for making the equally famous tiramisu dessert. Many manufacturers use unusual recipes. For example, "Marsala Vecchio Samperi Ventennale" is a non-alcoholic wine made according to old recipes. And some manufacturers even use egg white among the ingredients.

Wine "Nero d'Avola" (Sicily, Italy)

But the most famous indigenous variety on the island is Nero D'Avola. In translation, its name sounds simply: "Black from Avola" (a small town in central Sicily). But on the island he is called the "prince of wines." And all because this Infanta has an extremely capricious and changeable character. Vines of Nero d'Avola, planted in a different terroir, produce berries with a completely different taste and bouquet.

Nevertheless, the variety is grown throughout Sicily. Its sown area is 18 thousand hectares. Grown near the town of Avola, the variety has unique gastronomic characteristics. Its wines are structural, full-bodied, with good aging potential. In the bouquet of the drink, tones of cherries and cherries are read. Nero d'Avola is more often used to produce varietal wines and very rarely blended ones. Young drinks are distinguished by a pure ruby hue, in aged drinks, the color is more reminiscent of garnet. Like other dry red wines of Sicily, itthe fortress is 13-15 degrees.

Moscato del Pantelleria

This dessert wine from Sicily made the island as famous as Marsala. In fairness, it should be noted that Moscato is produced in Pantelleria. On a small island near Sicily, the grape variety was brought from Alexandria by the Saracens during the Arab conquest. Under the southern sun, the nutmeg dried on the branches, turning almost into raisins. From such berries Saracens made sweet wine.

The Arabic word "zabib" (raisins) served as the basis for the second name of the drink from the island of Pantelleria - "jibibbo". And those who have tasted wine call it divine nectar. The jibibbo has a deep golden color fading to amber and a rich bouquet. The palate has notes of apricots, dried figs, saffron and honey.

Other Muscats

Sicily's dessert white wines are not limited to zibibbo. The Muscat from Syracuse must also be mentioned. This wine is characterized by a pleasant golden hue, delicate aroma and exceptionally delicious taste with hints of honey and southern juicy fruits. But the drink is aged in barrels for several years. Therefore, the minimum strength of Muscat from Syracuse is 16.5 degrees.

Malvasia, which was dedicated to odes in ancient times, is still produced in Sicily. The best wine of this brand is made near Lipari. This wine is made from the Malvasia variety. Small additions of Corinto Nero are acceptable, which gives the light drink a goldenamber tint. Other sweet white wines include Moscato di Noto, which is produced in the southeast of the island.

"Volcanic" wines of Sicily

In the reviews, consumers are very praised for drinks made from crops that are harvested on the slopes of Etna and the adjacent valley. The soils here are well-drained, rich in minerals and fertilized with volcanic ash. Since the vineyards are located high (sometimes 1200 m above sea level), the climate here is not very hot. Autochthonous varieties Minella, Nerello, Cataratta, Grillo, Carricante and Tuscan Trebiano provide raw materials for very worthy dry red, white and rosé wines. In the DOC regions of Etna, the drinks of all houses are equally fine.

Influence of Sicily on winemaking in other regions

The island was in the possession of the Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Goths, Aragonese, French. Winemakers adopted the techniques of their colleagues from abroad, but they themselves shared their experience. An example of this is the wine "Vega Sicilia Unico". This drink is made in Valbuena de Duero, the Spanish province of Valladolid. But from the name it becomes clear that the wine is made according to traditional Sicilian technology.