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You’re right! I can’t seem to stay away from Sicily! Let’s face it; there is so much to explore! It is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and the second-largest wine-producing region in Italy (Puglia being first). Still, Sicily takes first place for the number of vineyards in a region. There is a multitude of wineries with over 70 indigenous grape varieties planted, as well as international varieties. I know I’m being repetitive with information, but my enthusiasm for Sicily keeps erupting. So I will tame the beast for now, and if you seek more information, please check out my “many” articles on Sicily from the menu on the right.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Here are three more gems from this magical island to please your palate!  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Planeta La Segreta Il Rosso Sicilia DOC 2019
Planeta was founded in 1985, but its family history of agriculture and winemaking in Sicily spans five centuries and seventeen generations. Planeta has five estates spread out from east to west in Sicily. The grapes for this blend are sourced from the Menfi territory, which contains the majority of Planeta’s vineyards on the western side of the island. This wine is 50% Nero d’Avola, 25% Merlot, 20% Syrah, and 5% Cabernet Franc. Maturation takes place in stainless steel tanks. Nose: Red berries, spice, and cherry. Palate: A light and fresh wine with aromas continuing onto the palate with herbal notes and smooth tannins. Alcohol: 13% SRP: $15.99 Pairings: Appetizers, light pasta dishes, grilled salmon, chicken, or a veggie burger. Feudo Principi Di Butera Deliella Nero D’Avola, Sicilia DOC 2014 Principi Di Butera is a 320-hectare estate located in the southeastern part of Sicily, 10 kilometers from the sea, and sits on one of the most mineral-rich areas on the island. The Zonin family has owned the estate since 1997, and it surrounds an ancient feudal domain. This 100% Nero D’Avola is the premier cru produced by this estate, and grapes are sourced from a single vineyard. It is aged for14 months, 90% in barrels and 10% in second-use tonneaux. The wine is then aged for about one year in bottle. Nose: Dark cherry, red fruit, baking spice, and a touch of herbs. Palate: Beautiful and structured with notes of cherry, dark berries, and herbs with a perfect balance of minerality and acidity. A long finish with lingering notes of spice and cherry. Alcohol: 14% SRP: $89.99 Pairings: Appetizers, roasted white meat, stews, glazed duck, seared tuna, or aged cheese. Donnafugata Ben Ryé Passito Di Pantelleria Sicilia DOC 2017 The Rallo family owns the iconic Donnafugata, and their family history of winemaking dates back to 1851. They have several wineries and over 405 hectares of vineyards located throughout Sicily, including historic aging cellars at their Marsala winery. This is a naturally sweet wine made with 100% dried Zibibbo grapes sourced from vineyards on Pantelleria Island off the coast of Sicily. Nose: Rich notes of floral, figs, apricots, raisins, and honey. Palate: Aromas segue onto the palate with a hint of minerality and herbs, creating a gentle sweetness and savory perfection. The bonus is a long and intense finish. Alcohol: 14.5% SRP: $45 for a 375ml bottle Pairings: Enjoy as an aperitif or serve with cheese and dessert. No doubt I’ll be back soon with more selections to enjoy from Sicily! Until next time… Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com Many of us are longing to travel again. I know that I certainly am! I miss the excitement of exploring new places, tasting local cuisine, and sipping wine while walking through the vineyards. For the past year, and then some, we have all had to abide by “stay at home” orders and limited travel excursions.  Photo credit: Massimo Virgilio During the pandemic, I have been fortunate to be part of many Zoom tastings from around the world. I’ve met with winery owners and winemakers to taste their products from the comfort of my living room. Of course, it doesn’t compare to physically traveling, but it does allow my palate to be transported out of my home. I’ve been able to virtually experience the climate, soil, and history that awaits me in each glass of wine. Recently my palate took a trip to southern Italy, often referred to as the Mezzogiorno (Midday region) due to the intense sunshine at midday. Southern Italy is located in the lower part of the Italian “boot,” where some of Italy’s oldest and most important historical towns are located. The Adriatic Sea borders it on the east coast, the Tyrrhenian Sea on the west or Mediterranean coast, and the Ionian Sea to the south.  Southern Italy is noted for its expression of quality wines produced throughout its wine-growing regions of Molise, Campania, Basilicata, Puglia, Calabria, Sicily, and Sardinia. Recently, an Italian wine magazine, Cronache di Gusto launched a wine competition called Sud Top Wine, dedicated to awarding southern Italian wines produced in Sicily, Puglia, Basilicata, Campania, and Sardinia. I received three of these awarded wines, two from Sardinia and one from Sicily.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Quartomoro di Sardegna Vermentino di Sardegna DOC VRM 2016 Piero Cella, winemaker, and owner for Quartomoro, initially used the winery, which he bought in 2009, to experiment and test ideas to learn more about his grapes and wine. This lab eventually evolved into what it is today, “a workshop of ideas” where new wines are created. Piero has over 30 years of experience as a winemaker. This wine is 100% Vermentino sourced from the Marrubiu vineyards, where vines were planted in 1978. The wine spends two years in steel, of which 5% is in oak tonneaux. “This semi-aromatic white grape was introduced in Sardinia 150 years ago from the Iberian Peninsula via Corsica. In Sardinian, it is called ‘Axina de mesa’ or ‘Axina bionda’. The production of Vermentino has steadily increased since the 1960s, especially in Gallura (thanks to the DOCG appellation), becoming the most important Sardinian white grape variety.” Quartomoro  Photo credit: Penny Weiss The color of this wine is lemon yellow with vibrant aromas of floral, white stone fruit, spice, and citrus. The aromas segue onto the palate with a tapestry of minerality and a touch of floral. Nutty notes and lemon zest linger on the finish. Enjoy as an aperitif or with seafood, grilled chicken, and spicy Asian cuisine. Alcohol: 13.5% SRP: $30 Giuseppe Sedilesu Cannonau di Sardegna DOC Riserva Ballu Tunda 2015 Giuseppe Sedilesu is a family-owned and operated winery. It is internationally known for its production of Cannonau. Giuseppe founded the winery over 35 years ago, beginning with one hectare of vineyards. It has expanded over 12 times since then. Cannonau is a member of the Grenache family, but whether it is indigenous to Sardinia is debatable, especially among Sardinians! This wine is 100% Cannonau and made with organic grapes. Fermentation takes place spontaneously for 30-45 days in barrique at controlled temperatures. The wine is then aged in bottle for nine months before being released on the market.  Photo credit: Penny Weis This wine is ruby red with aromas of red fruit and spice. The palate offers lush notes of raspberry, plum, sour cherry, herbs, spice, and balsamic notes with a hint of tobacco on the finish. It is beautifully balanced between sweet and savory. Serve with grilled meat, chicken, seared tuna, and aged cheese. Alcohol: 15% SRP: $45-$50 Cantine Pellegrino Pantelleria DOC Bianco Isesi 2018 Cantine Pellegrino was founded in 1880 and is based in Marsala. It is a family-owned and run winery that is now in its sixth generation. They have vineyards in four territories of Sicily, one of which is Pantelleria Island. Zibibbo (Muscat of Alexandria) is an indigenous white grape of Sicily and is primarily grown on Pantelleria Island. Zibibbo is made in both a sweet and dry wine. The grapes for this 100% Zibibbo wine are hand-harvested and aged for 12 months on lees in steel tanks.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss This is a dry and refreshing wine with a pale yellow color. The aroma is heavenly with honeysuckle and jasmine floral notes, white stone fruit, tropical fruit, and a hint of herbs. The palate offers white peach, apricots, herbs, mineral notes, and a touch of sapidity. Serve as an aperitif or with fish, light pasta, or appetizers.
Until we can all travel again, which I hope is very soon, let’s pour a glass of wine and let our palate do the traveling. Until next time… Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com The moment had arrived. I closed my eyes and inhaled the perfume emanating from my glass and I was instantly carried off to the magical island of Pantelleria.  Last spring I had the opportunity to visit with Donnafugata in Sicily. During my stay with them, we flew to Pantelleria Island for an amazing day of touring the Donnafugata vineyards where Zibibbo grapes are grown.  Although the Zibibbo vines barely had buds yet, it was an impressive tour that stretched throughout the whole island and covered many districts. You can read all about it at: Day 575 Donnafugata A 360 Degree Tour http://thewineknitter.com/1/post/2017/05/day-575-donnafugata-a-360-degree-tour.html The “pour” in my glass that had me swooning was a Ben Ryé 2015 Passito de Pantelleria DOC, a naturally sweet wine made with 100% Zibibbo grapes.  Since it was our first snowfall, I thought it would be fun to open this delicious dessert wine, inviting in a touch of the Mediterranean.  The color is an intense amber with stimulating aromas of apricots, figs, raisins, floral and honey. All the aromas segue onto the palate offering a beautifully balanced wine with mineral notes and a hint of herbs. The combination of gentle sweetness and savory is perfection! This wine drinks beautifully as an aperitif or pair with cheese and dessert! Alcohol: 14.5% SRP: $40 for a 375ml bottle If you’re running out of gift ideas, think no further! This is a fabulous wine to add to your holiday list! Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com
 All it took was opening a bottle of wine to transport me back to the enchanting island of Pantelleria that I visited this past April with my gracious host, Donnafugata. The 2016 Donnafugata Lighea Zibibbo Sicilia is 100% Zibibbo (Muscat of Alexandria) and is produced on the Sicilian island of Pantelleria.  Zibibbo is an aromatic grape originally from Egypt that ancient Arab settlers brought to the island. “Zibibbo” comes from the Arabic word “zabib” which means “raisins”. In addition to the zibibbo wines, Moscato and Passito di Pantelleria are made from this sweet grape.  An ancient Zbibbo vine on Pantelleria Island. Lighea is a dry version of Zibibbo. Although the aromas would lead one to believe that they are about to drink a sweet wine, you are in for a pleasant surprise. Donnafugata has created a beautiful balance of mildly sweet and dry wine. The color of Lighea is light yellow with exotic aromas of tropical fruit, oranges, stone fruit, honey and hints of white flowers. The palate is layered with apricots, citrus fruit and salty mineral notes. Lemon zest and apricots linger on a very long finish! Yummy!! This wine drinks well as an aperitif or serve it with fish, pasta and appetizers. Alcohol: 12.38% SRP $20  As always, there is a story behind Donnafugata labels. “From the disheveled tresses the color of the sun, seawater flowed over the green, wide-open eyes.” Thus Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa describes Lighea, the bewitching siren and principal figure in his novel. She has inspired the creation of a complex and innovative wine and an equally original label. “It was not easy to print this label”, Gabriella (founder of Donnafugata, with her husband Giacomo) recalled, “and preserve the thousand shadings of colors of Pantelleria Island, painted in the original drawing.” As I inhale the aromas of Pantelleria Island and sip this lovely wine, my thoughts return to a magical day. Pure bliss!  To learn more about Donnafugata and Pantelleria island, please read my story: Day 575 Donnafugata A 360 Degree Tour - The WineKnitter http://thewineknitter.com/1/post/2017/05/day-575-donnafugata-a-360-degree-tour.html
Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com Sight, taste, smell, hearing and touch are the fundamental senses that allow us to experience and express our perception of the world around us. We rely on our sight, taste and smell to communicate impressions of wine and food. Donnafugata, a family owned winery situated in western Sicily, has taken the “sensorial experience” to a whole new level! On Wednesday, I had lunch with the delightful Josè Rallo, one of the family members of Donnafugata. I tasted elegant wines and learned all about this magical family and winery, as we dined on local, artisanal food in a private room at Black Barn Restaurant in NYC.   The Rallo family began their trek into the world of wine in 1851. In 1983, Josè’s parents, Giacomo and Gabriella created Donnafugata. The name means “woman in flight” and refers to a story from a piece of literature called “Il Gattopardo”. Most of the Donnafugata labels and names of wines, which are very whimsical, pay homage to various works of art and literature. In 1990, their children, Josè and Antonio joined them with Josè as head of management control & communication and Antonio as a dedicated agronomist, wine maker and head of the Consorzio Sicilia DOC. Together, the Rallo family has dedicated themselves to eco-sustainable management, biodiversity and paying special attention to their carbon footprint.  Credit: Fabio Gambina copyright of Donnafugata and the name of the photographer mentioned. Contessa Entellina, Donnafugata’s wine estate, is comprised of 667 acres and seven vineyards. They cultivate 17 varieties of grape, both indigenous varieties and Italian and international vine varieties. The Donnafugata vineyards are spread throughout 10 districts, each having uniqueness in soil, altitude, exposure and micro-climatic conditions. In addition, Donnafugata has a winery and vineyard on Pantelleria, a volcanic island situated between Africa and Sicily. Zibibbo (Moscato d’Alessandria) is the wine variety grown on their 168-acre vineyards, located in 12 different areas of the island. Some of the plants are more than 100 years old! The vines are cultivated by hand, planted in a basin and trained to grow low and horizontally. This system of planting allows the vines to withstand the wind on the island. The winery is located in the Khamma district of the island. Wines produced at Contessa Entellina and Pantelleria are brought to the Marsala Aging Winery, Donnafugata’s production facility, for refinement and bottling. And now, back to my lunch with Josè!  As we nibbled on appetizers, Josè introduced us to SurSur 2014, a 100% Grillo grape, that is an ancient indigenous variety from Sicily. The color was pale straw with lovely aromas of green apple, peach and grapefruit. The palate offered a perfect balance of citrus and floral. At an average price of $19.00, this is a great wine to keep stocked in the refrigerator, especially with the warmer months on the way. We continued to drink the SurSur as we ate a delicious Kale Salad. Josè, who is also an accomplished singer with a beautiful voice, sang us a song that she felt paired the wine with the music, giving us the ultimate “multi-sensory” experience! In fact, she sang a song with every wine poured, sending us on an incredible sensory journey each time.  Josè serenading us!  Before the main course arrived, a bottle of 2011 Tancredi Sicilia and 2010 Mille e Una Notte Sicilia were opened. The Tancredi is made with Cabernet Sauvignon and Nero d’Avola. The aromas of dark fruit, light oak, spices and herbs gave way to earthy flavors, rich berries, licorice, spice and soft tannins. The average price of this wine is about $36.00. The Mille e Una Notte is made with Nero d’Avola, Petit Verdot, Syrah and other grapes. Deep red in color, the aromas were heady and intense with dark fruit and spices. The palate was layered with plum, cherry, pepper and a hint of cocoa. Soft tannins accompanied a long finish. This is one of Donnafugata's more expensive wines, with a price tag averaging around $60.00 a bottle, but well worth it!  As we got ready for dessert, a bottle of 2013 Ben Ryé was opened. It was exquisite! This naturally sweet wine is made with 100% Zibibbo grown on the island of Pantelleria. The color was brilliant amber with intoxicating aromas of apricot and floral that segued onto the palate and lingered. The wine was concentrated and intense, but beautifully balanced. Although I would have been quite happy drinking this as my “dessert”, it complemented the Chocolate Cremeux passion fruit gelee, nougaline. I found the average price to be around $45.00 a bottle.  Delicious wines! Donnafugata wine is distributed in 60 countries and can be found in most wine shops, online and in many restaurants. To learn more about this innovative winery, visit their website at: http://www.donnafugata.it/pagine/Homepage.aspx
Josè’s exuberance and passion for her wines, music and life was the sweet pearl that I took with me when I left. It was a very enjoyable afternoon! Cheers! Penina |
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