Wine Notes
Sicily Wine Notes — 11/11/2008
Sicily is the largest island in Mediterranean and if it were a nation, it would rank sixth in the world in wine production! Historically only a small percentage of the wine produced was bottled as Sicilian wine. Of the rest, some will have gone into Italian blends, sold as Vino da Tavola, or ‘produce of the European Community’, but the majority will have gone into the wine lake and ultimately been distilled for industrial alcohol.
These days increasing quantities of reasonable, clean ‘supermarket quality’ wines are made by the large co-ops. But it is not these which make the island worthwhile as a wine tour, it is the high quality of the leading private estates, which are at least as good as anywhere else in Italy.
History
Sicily is a fascinating place to visit due to the wealth of it’s history. Across the island towns and cities display a startling beauty and grandeur, in a dilapidated kind of way. The Greek temples, the mosaics of the Roman Villa and the Cathedral at Monreale are not to be missed. The story of Sicily is one of repeated invasions – at some point in time Sicily has been taken over by everyone from Greeks, Phoencians to the Byzantines and Arabs, Normans, Swabians, French and Spanish, and all left their mark.
Geography
There are 1400 kms of coastline and several beautiful, thoroughly sun baked small islands off the coast. These include Pantelleria, where the luscious Passito di Pantelleria dessert wine is made from Moscato grapes, and the island of Salina where the fine Malvasia delle Lipari is made.
In the interior of the island there are mountain ranges, including the snow capped Mt Etna, the highest mountain in Southern Europe. On these mountains and on the hills between them there are areas with relatively cool but sunny growing conditions, which are not unlike the New World.
The coastal plains in the west and south of the island house major vineyards, where local vines, acclimatised to the hot conditions, thrive.
Vines & Wines
Until recently just 5% of the production was DOC. That is changing, partly due to new DOCs, and because traditional DOCs such as Cerasuolo di Vittoria and Bianco di Alcamo are prospering, with Marsala DOCs’ decline having been arrested.
Nero d’Avola: The main red grape variety, it is good. The flavour is spicy and pleasant, but often easy drinking rather than distinguished. The mouthfeel is round but sometimes slightly lacking in grip. It is often produced as a varietal wine or sometimes blended with Syrah or Cabernet.
Catarrato: A good local white grape.
Muscat: The Muscat of Alexandria makes great sweet passito wines and indifferent dry whites. The volcanic island of Pantelleria gives the best.
Chardonnay: When high grown it is very good and could be out of Padthaway, Australia.
Cabernet and Syrah can be impressive when grown at altitude and blend well. Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc though, seem to ripen too early.
Bianco di Alcamo: Traditional DOC for whites made from the reasonably good local Cataratto grape, sometimes mixed with Chardonnay.
Cerasuolo di Vittoria: From the southwest, this blended red is heady, alcoholic and good.
Etna Bianco & Rosso: The white can be delicate and fragrant, whilst the red is elegant and floral.
Marsala: Fortified wine from the west of the island invented by John Woodhouse in the C18th when he fortified the local wines. Nelson’s fleet and the Victorian kitchen were huge markets, but Marsala never became a prestige wine such as Tokaji, Port or Sherry. Its collapse was spectacular ending up with foul egg and coffee flavoured styles.
Marsala wines are fortified after fermentation. Vergine Reservas (the highest quality) are aged for 10 years. Superiore Reserva (next best), Fine and Superiore can be dry or sweet.
Good red and white table wines are also made in the same area. Much of the Sicilian wine in UK supermarkets is from this end of the island, from vineyards which used to supply Marsala.
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