2015 Azienda Agricola Cos Sicilia Nero di Lupo, Italy, Sicily, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-

This is 100% Nero D'Avola from Sicily.  $45 on the restaurant list, it seems to retail for around $30.  Fairly priced.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  There is a lot of barnyard on the nose.  Fair warning, I loved it but this may be off putting to some.  Seems to be brettanomyces which also leads to a bit of a yeasty note.  Our bottle was served at restaurant room temp so that probably encouraged a blooming of yeast.  Cooler stored bottles may be less pronounced.  Also a bit of cherries, tobacco and licorice.  On the palate, cherries, black cherries and slight forest floor.  There is a

2017 Tasca D'Almerita Regaleali Le Rose Terre Siciliane IGT, Italy, Sicily, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+

This is made from 100% Nerello Mascalese grapes.  Salmon color, clear and bright.  The nose has strawberries, slight raspberries and a hint of rhubarb.  This took about 30 minutes to open once the screw cap was removed.  The palate is very smooth.  No bite on it which is quite refreshing.  There is a nice tart acidity on it which makes if very food friendly.  Light cherries with a slight herbal note somewhat akin to bitters on the finish.  It works very well at the table.  This is a nice and easy rose and a very good value.  

2017 Tasca D'Almerita Sicilia Regaleali Bianco DOC, Italy, Sicily, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+

This is a blend of Inzolia, Catarratto and Grecanico grapes along with some Chardonnay.  Silvery, green gold in color.  The nose is a bit mild with minerals and light pine notes.  Better on the palate.  Slight soapy (but not in a bad way) more like lanolin.  Then tart green apples come thru picking up intensity especially on the finish.  This is clean with very nice acidity.  A medium length finish.  Screw capped, this took a few minutes to open.  It was served at about 50F but really showed better once it warmed a bit.  Very refreshing wine and the tart apple acidity worked quite well with

Sicily, Italy Vintage Chart

Sicily, Italy 2010 90 D/H 2009 91 D/H 2008 90 D/H 2007 93 D/H 2006 92 D/H 2005 91 D/H 2004 96 D/H 2003 90 D 2002 89 D Vintage Charts should be used for a generalized guide in lieu of specific knowledge about a bottle or producer. The better wines from a vintage will generally have longer lives and...
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Q&A with Giacomo d'Alessandro, Founder and Owner of d'Alessandro Winery

Giacomo d’Alessandro is the founder and owner of the d’Alessandro Winery, located near Agrigento in Sicily. Though the winery’s lands and vineyards have been in the family since 1820, only in 2006 did Giacomo open the family winery. His latest entrepreneurial venture is d’Alessandro Wines, a technologically advanced winery that merges the family history and connection to the land with modern ecological “green” practices while making wines from indigenous Sicilian grapes. Giacomo lives in Rome where the corporate office of his travel business is located, traveling frequently to the family home in Agrigento to oversee the development and expansion of the winery. When not in Sicily or Rome, Giacomo can be found traveling the world promoting d’Alessandro Wines.
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The Wines of Mt. Etna in Sicily: Wine's Next Big Thing?

Last month we explored the wines of Mt. Vesuvius in Campania. This article will explore the wines from Italy’s other famous volcano, Mt. Etna. Mt. Etna is in the eastern portion of Sicily. It is the highest active volcano in Sicily at just under 11,000 feet often capped with snow. It is a beautiful place and mystical setting.
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Sicilian Food, Wine, and La Dolce Vita – Part Three

This article is Part Three in a series on Sicilian foods, wines, and culture. Part One of this series was a focus on Sicily as “The new darling of wine culture.” Part Two of this series was a focus on the young, dominating wine industry of the Etna DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) on east coast of Sicily, on and around Mount Etna. To fully experience the foods and wines of Sicily one might spend some time reflecting on the Mediterranean island’s history, its place on the World Map – at the point of three seas and various trade routes – or its harsh geography, and the fact it has been colonized by various civilizations for millennia who introduced and cultivated unfamiliar foods and traditions.
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