Sicilian Wines Once Dazzled the World

SICILY ­ There is evidence to suggest that vineyards flourished near the Greek settlement of Agrigento sometime around the 5th century BC.

That’s ancient history, of course.

Throughout antiquity the wines of Sicily were held in high esteem, the favorites of royalty. The island’s many seaports made trade with the outside world easy and profitable, and Sicily’s agricultural bounty, including wine, was in demand.

Much of the good will from the Sicilian wine trade had been squandered by the end of the 20th century AD. That’s current events, of course.


But now there is evidence ­ powerful evidence ­ to suggest that Sicily’s winemaking prowess was a product of something other than Greek mythology. There is a renaissance afoot that is sweeping the entire island, from Catania in the east to Marsala in the west.

The poor soils, the Mediterranean climate, the mountainous terrain, the dramatic change in daytime and nighttime temperatures at the higher elevations ­ all of these things are factors that contribute to the quality of Sicilian wine.

And now, finally, there is a determination by many of the producers of Sicilian wine to embrace quality over quantity, to lower yields, to take the indigenous grape varieties to a new level.

“First we had to prove ourselves with the international varieties,” said Alberto Tasca, whose family has transformed its Regaleali estate into one of the world’s finest wineries in less than 20 years. “We had to prove we could make exceptional cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay before anyone would take seriously that we could make great nero d’Avola.”

Tasca d’Almerita has done that, and in recent years others have come forward with renewed faith in Sicily as a place to make exceptional wine.

“It was difficult in the beginning,” said Jose Rallo of Donnafaguta. “My mother would go into the vineyards and show the workers how to do a green harvest to reduce the yield. The workers would say, ‘She is a woman. She knows nothing about wine.’ Their mentality was to produce more grapes. Until we were able to show them that with less grapes on each vine we made better wines.”

Sicily has long been Italy’s leading producer of wine by volume. Most of it was bland and used for blending, particularly by the French in their vin ordinaire table wines.

The bottom has dropped out of that market, however, while demand for quality has grown stronger.

It is an indication of Sicily’s potential that Italy’s most talented winemakers have flocked to the region in search of new clients. There is little doubt that the modestly priced Sicilian wines have a bright future in the world market so long as quality continues to rise and prices remain reasonable.

Top Producers

Tasca d’Almerita is the benchmark by which all other Sicilian wines should be judged. Its Regaleali estate sits high in the hills of this mountainous island, with about 1,000 acres of vines planted at elevations that range from 1,200 to more than 2,200 feet. It is the perfect location to withstand the withering daytime heat of the Sicilian summer. Temperatures drop precipitously after sunset, preserving the acidity and aromatics in the ripening grapes. Tasca d’Almerita built its reputation on the international varietals chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon, but its 100 percent nero d’Avola, Rosso del Conte, is one of the most exciting red wines produced in Italy. The Regaleali rosso and bianco, blends produced from indigenous grape varieties, are well made and modestly priced. Also worth a look is the “Leone d’Almerita”, a blend of the local grape inzolia and chardonnay, and the “Cygnus”, a blend of nero d’Avola and cabernet sauvignon. Renowned enologist Carlo Ferrini is the winemaker. Of course, the cabernet sauvignon is not to be missed.

Donnafugata may be located in the seaside village of Marsala, but the sweet wine of the same name is not Donnafugata’s game. This is a winery that has been reborn, dedicated as never before to quality in the vineyards and quality in the bottle. The labels are among the most stunning in the world of wine, and the wines are not far behind. Three wines that represent Donnafaguta well are the 2001 Chiaranda del Merlo (a rich, nutty blend of the local grape ansonica and chardonnay), the 1999 Mille E Una Notte (nero d’Avola) and the world class dessert wine Ben Rye 2001, a passito (produced when the grapes are dried before pressing) from the island of Pantelleria made from Moscato d’Alessandria.

Morgante is unmistakably under the guidance of enologist Riccardo Cotarella, currently the brightest star in Italy’s winemaking universe. Cotarella’s style favors power over elegance, though Morgante’s 2002 nero d’Avola exhibits both in abundance. It’s a meaty wine, with roasted, toasted aromas for added complexity. Its excellent structure can be attributed to the elevation of the Morgante’s vineyards, generally between 1,200 and 1,500 feet. The top wine at Morgante, Don Antonio, also is produced from 100 percent nero d’Avola, but the fruit is picked riper and Don Antonio is aged 12 months in barrique compared to four months for the standard nero d’Avola. The 2000 vintage of Don Antonio is supple and sweet, in keeping with Cotarella’s style, but the 2001 vintage, which should be released shortly, is better balanced and more elegant.

Planeta runs contrary to the conventional wisdom on chardonnay, their best wine. It’s big alcohol (a California-style 15 percent) though hardly noticeable. The 2001 vintage is rich and voluptuous, with extraordinarily good acidity for such warm growing conditions. And it’s not Planeta’s only outstanding white. Alastro, made from the local grape grecanico and chardonnay, is a harmonious blend. And Cometa, made from the fiano grape popularly grown in Campania, is well above average. The Planeta reds should not be overlooked, however. The 2001 merlot and 2001 Santa Cecilia (100 percent nero d’Avola) are exceptional in their own right.

Cottanera is a relatively new winery on the slopes of Mount Etna, on the eastern side of the island. The combination of elevation and volcanic soil produces wines of structure and elegance. Cottanera’s most exciting wines at the moment are 2001 L’Ardena (mondeuse), 2001 Sole di Sesta (syrah), 2001 Grammonte (merlot) and 2001 Nume (cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc). Nero d’Avola has potential at this estate, but so far it is being used only in blends until the vineyards mature. Currently without a U.S. importer, that piece of the puzzle is only a matter of time given the high quality and great potential.