Sicily

• Mt. Etna

This is made from the Nero d'Avola grape in south-western Sicily.  Ruby in color, clear and shimmering bright.  The nose has cherries, black licorice and slight balsamic notes.  Great texture.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, cherries and sour cherries.  Some warmth on the finish.  Long finish.  This is mostly about red fruit but a bit bigger and brighter.  It drinks well on its own and will go great with pasta or pizza.  A nice value.  Drink over the next four to six years.  

This is 90% Carricante and 10% Riesling from the north slopes of Mt. Etna just outside the DOC boundaries.  Golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has asparagus, smoke, minerals and white flowers.  A lovely velvety texture that is slightly  oily.  Light tannins.  A very interesting palate with tarragon, lime and saline.  Moderate finish with some green apple notes.  This is complex and interesting but also a very nice wine for food.  While it works on its own, this would be great with sardines or even salmon.  Drink over the next five to ten years.  

This is made from 100% Insolia (also known as Ansonica) grapes in Sicily.  Silvery/light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has lanolin, limes, whites pepper and cantaloupe.  Medium bodied.  Lightly oily in texture.  Light tannins.  On the palate, there is the barest perception of sweetness on the attack with melons and light minerality in the mid-palate.  A lingering finish.  This is very tasty.  It drinks well on its own and worked well with Spanakopita.  Drink over the next five years.  

This is 100% Grillo from Sicily grown at an altitude of 830 meters (2,700 feet).  A beautiful wine.  Golden in color with a slight copper hue, clear and bright.  The nose has acacia flowers, tangerines and sea air.  Medium bodied.  Very slight oily texture.  On the palate, this is more about minerality with a bit of tangerine and slight smoke.  Good acidity.  Plenty of depth.  Long finish.  This drinks great on its own and is better with food.  It will work with salads, sea food and lighter poultry or pork dishes.  Drink over the next five to seven years.  

This is made from the Nerello Mascalese grapes grown on the sloped of Mt.

Made from the Grillo grape (fast becoming one of my favorite white grapes) in Sicily.  Silvery with slight golden hues, clear and bright.  On opening there was a bit of a chemical note, but that blew off in 15 minutes and it was clean after that.  Tropical fruits (guava?) with vanilla and very slight smoke.  Light to medium bodied.  On the palate, this has tart acidity.  13% abv.  A very nice juicy texture.  On the palate, flavors of blood oranges with some vanilla.  Guava notes come out on the finish.  This is delicious on its own and will work well with sea food or vegetarian dishes.  Dri

This is a desert wine from an island just off the coast of Tunisia, Africa, but belonging to Sicily.  There are strong winds and the grapes lose their moisture and raisin on the vine.  It is made from the Zimbibbo grape which is also known as Muscat of Alexandria.  It has an amber iced tea color, clear and bright.  The nose is amazing with apricots, orange peel, dried pineapple, and wild sage.  Full bodied and viscous.  On the palate, apricots, dried apricots, and orange rind with enough acidity to balance the sweetness.  Long finish.  Delicious and interesting.  This will likely last for d

This is a blend of 90% Nerello Mascalese, and 10% Nerello Cappuccio from the southeast slope of Mt.

This is 100% Nerello Mascalese from vineyards in Sicily that are 1,600 feet in altitude.  Purple in color, with some ruby swirls, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with smoke, cherries, and black pepper.  Medium to full bodied.  Although there are firm tannins, this has an inviting soft texture.  Good acidity.  The palate has cherries, black cherries over a char.  Very concentrated.  Long finish.  This is drinking well now and should continue for another ten to fifteen years.  It will work better with food such as sword fish served as Involtini di pesce spade.  

This is 60% Nero d'Avola and 40% Frappato from Sicily.  Purple in color with ruby hues, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, black cherries, smoke and slight mint note.  Medium bodied with medium tannins.  Good acidity.  The wine is interesting with cherries, black cherries with a dark, earthy loam note underneath.  Good finish.  This is drinking well but will mature a bit.  It will provide good drinking for the next eight to twelve years.  Although it is nice on its own, it will work better at the dinner table.  It will work well with game but also Busiate al pesto Trapanese fo