Sicily

• Mt. Etna

This is a white wine made in Sicily from Certified Organic Grillo (pronounced GREE-lo) grapes at a Co-Op.  12.5% ABV.  Golden in color with a very slight copper hue, clear and bright.  The nose is nice, minerals, quince, and a very slight minty note.  Slightly viscous with a medium body.  On the palate, the minerality comes thru along with lemons, and quince.  There is a slightly bitter note (lemon pith?) on the finish.  The finish is of moderate length.  Overall, this is a very refreshing wine that was quite a  hit with a few friends I shared the remains of the bottle with.  It got better

This is a lovely Pinot Grigio from Sicily.  It comes in a tinted green clear bottles, but the wine is silvery copper/gold in color.  On the nose there is a nice steeliness to it along with some limes.  With air, a bit of chalk emerges.  Nice acidity with a slightly oily texture.  On the palate, this is dry.  Notes of lemons and wintergreen.  Slight tannins.  The finish has sour lemon candy.  This is a big wine with some warmth to it.  Very refreshing on its own but worked better with a Watermelon, Feta and Mint salad.  This should be consumed in the next two or three years but the sooner th

This was ordered off the menu at Ceres Table in Chicago's Lakeview East area.  While I have had the reds many times, this was my first time trying the white.  It is made up of 100% Chardonnay grown at around 3,000 feet on the side of Mt.

This is an Italian white from Kevin Harvey.  If that name sounds familiar, he is the owner of Rhys in Santa Cruz, California and a maker of wonderful Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs.  This is his first vintage and is made from the Carricante grape, a white grape indigenous to Sicily.  The wine itself is delicious.  Light golden in color.  The nose is reminiscent of a Hermitage Blanc.  It is very waxy with lemon curd.  There is also a slightly smokiness to it.  On the palate, this has great acidity.  The wine is fresh with lots of energy.  The lemon curd carries thru but there is also a nice und

Very nice showing for this wine which seems to be at the younger side of peak right now.  Grown on the side of Mount Etna and made from Nero Mascalese.  It drinks very much like a smoky Pinot Noir.  Garnet in color.  The nose has cherries and underlying char.  On the palate, wispy tannins.  Lots of cherries with depth and concentration.  Great acidity.  Long finish.  This is a very interesting wine that demands contemplation but is also quite tasty.  Will work great with pasta, veggies and medium and lighter foods.  

This is a Bordeaux blend from Western Sicily.  It a nice affordable wine that is enjoyable and will hold and improve a bit for a few years in a good cellar.  It is a modern, internationally styled wine, but still has a certain continental quality to it.  Purple in color.  The nose has nice cherry fruit with a bit of spice and slight cedar.  On the palate, there are some tannins.  Nice cherry fruit.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  Easy drinking and will work with a wide variety of foods.  It won't get much better, but perhaps a bit.  It should be drunk by 2025.  

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

Another interesting wine from Italy and Sicily.  This is a blend of Nerello Mascalese, and Nerello Cappuccio.  Grown on slopes on Mt.

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.  

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