Most of all, I was impressed by the nobility and longevity of the wines. In almost every wine there was a hard core, Sicilian determination that aimed to survive against all adverse expectations. Each time I taste a new vintage, I find the same character. If you’re looking for fruit-driven, easy wines, move along. These aren’t those wines. The wines of Tenuta Regaleali are thoughtful, even pensive, wines of integrity that require “listening to” to fully appreciate.
Read MoreDonnafugata 2016 Cerasuolo di Vittoria Floramundi: This wine smells of warm, red clay soils or even a hot, terracotta pizza oven. It also smells of old, wooden spice racks and dried tomatoes. The taste is every bit as savory.
Read MoreThe best wines of this tasting confirm what I’ve said for just over a half decade: I believe Sicily is a region on the rise to being one of the top quality producers (it has long been a top volume producer of Italy), if it isn’t already.
Read MoreThis wine defies my typical usage suggestions for sweet wines. I often think of sweet wines as “dessert in a glass”, or something that can replace dessert when thirst still calls yet the tummy is too full for more food. One of the primary differences here is that the Ben Ryé possesses a decadently sweet attack yet a surprisingly dry and clean finish.
Read MoreDonnafugata 2015 Grillo Sur Sur: This wine’s color looks pale, like lemon pulp in color. It’s savory on the nose with notes of crushed slate, grapefruit zest and veggie broth. This is a relatively lean Grillo – and all the better this, rather than some of the variety’s more blowsy expressions – that is nonetheless character-filled.
Read MoreI love both Montepulciano Rosso and Cerasuolo style wines. I’ve said many times that both the variety and the style (and this goes for the Cerasuolo style’s Sicilian cousin, too) remind me of the beaming sunshine of southern Italy. Both the beauty of the places and the juiciness of the wines can only but make you smile.
Read MoreI was craving Pinot Noir, but the price points weren’t to my value-oriented mood. As I finished that importer tasting with Italian wines, Cerasuolo – a blend of Nero d’Avola and Frappato grapes – popped into my mind.
Read MoreThis varietal Muscat, locally called Zibibbo, starts with serious aromatic pop. It’s plump with lime zest, pink grapefruit, white peppercorn and Mediterranean scrub-baking-under-a-hot-summer-sun. The palate is crisp, dry and light. The combination is so drinkable that you just might think the liquid is evaporating from your glass.
Read MoreMy parents and I sat down for lunch with one of my best pals. Just days away from Christmas, we three ladies were feeling festive, so nothing but bubbly could do. (Dad enjoyed his usual iced tea.)
Read MoreI had chosen the Roasted Squid with Charred Scallions and a Radicchio, Endive and Lettuce Salad with Valdeon and Fried Pistachio Nuts. These may sound like white wine dishes, but the savoriness from the roasting process and the rich blue cheese made a red wine pairing possible.
Read MoreAs the translator, Elaine Trigiani describes, with regard to a true love or a perfectly harmonious wine, “It’s nearly impossible to describe or explain, but you now it when you’re in it.” This is a great encapsulation of Salvo Foti’s thinking and writing.
Read MoreThis past week, a bus filled with 20 Masters of Wine traveled 2,000 kilometers around Sicily. It was a phenomenal trip; I wish we were still there. Alas, we did leave, but not before saying grazie. The old guard was literary. They were also quite competitive. You didn’t want to be giving the last thank-you of the trip – so many grazie to top!
Read MoreIt’s the home stretch; it’s the last leg of the marathon. A week of merriment…and still more preparation. It’s a never-ending circle, this holiday process! Remember, there’s always a bottom to the bottle, so don’t be caught short on stock.
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