Wines from Sicily

Between the lava flows of Rovittello, a wine is created that reveals the delicate side of the volcano. Erse Rosato, made predominantly from Nerello Cappuccio and a smaller proportion of Nerello Mascalese from the only hectare of vineyards exposed to the north-east at an altitude of 700 metres. Here, where the morning breeze blows up from the Alcantara Valley and the afternoon heat is kept at bay by the ancient sciare, a rosato of exceptional personality develops. The two Nerello varieties are vinified separately with a cold maceration of 12 hours at 12-14°C to gently extract colour and aromas before being combined for alcoholic fermentation and subsequent refinement in stainless steel tanks.

Erse Etna Rosso has a lively and spicy bouquet of sour cherries, dried roses, cloves and a hint of fresh mint. Round and juicy on the palate, yet pure, with mineral red berries that saturate, while the lively acidity retains a fantastic freshness. A subtle coating of fine tannins and a saline note define the final as it tapers gently and grippingly under a hint of red flowers. Wonderful value. SUPERIORE.DE

Giardino Pantesco is a liquid short holiday on Pantelleria – as golden as a last ray of sunshine at sunset, carried by the history and terroir of this magical island. The name refers to the "Giardini Panteschi", the centuries-old dry stone walls built in a round shape that intercept the wind and stabilise the microclimate for crops such as the gnarled Zibibbo vine. Those who savour this passito will feel the reverence for this landscape and tradition with every sip.

Vigna di Gabri is a classic white wine with high standards that realises the idea of an elegant, autochthonous Sicilian wine in a refined form. Ansonica (Inzolia) forms the basis, supplemented by smaller proportions of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier and Catarratto – a finely balanced cuvée with origin and style. The grapes come from the hills of Contessa Entellina, where limestone-rich soils and high altitudes ensure freshness and aromatic complexity. Bright straw yellow in colour with golden reflections. The bouquet smells of white peach, candied lemon, herbs and some broom, underpinned by fine mineral notes. Structured and smooth on the palate, with clear fruit, fine flavour and well-integrated acidity. A well-balanced, pleasantly dry white wine with fine complexity – ideal with fish, white meat or Sicilian cuisine with a fresh herbal flavour. For us, Vigna di Gabri is and remains one of the discreet and high-quality classics in Donnafugata's portfolio. SUPERIORE.DE

Floramundi combines the sensual power of Nero d'Avola with the elegance of Frappato – a classic Cerasuolo di Vittoria that charmingly harmonises the DOCG origin, freshness and finesse. The vines grow in south-east Sicily on red sand and limestone soils around Vittoria. Maturation in stainless steel tanks followed by ageing in the bottle preserves the freshness and aromatic expressiveness of this traditional appellation.

An exceptionally characterful and powerful Cerasuolo di Vittoria made from equal parts Frappato and Nero d'Avola. On the nose, it displays a pure bouquet of sweet violets, black cherries and hints of wet stone. It impresses with its silky texture, enveloping the palate with bright red and blue fruits, along with a refreshing wave of juicy acidity. Hints of spiced orange and inner flowers linger long into the well-structured, long final. Perfect at the table. SUPERIORE.DE

Here is one of the most beautiful interpretations of the white Carricante grape variety, matured for six months on the fine lees. Alta Mora Bianco comes from vineyards on the northern slopes of Mount Etna, where Carricante vines thrive at an altitude of 600 to 900 metres – directly on volcanic rock that is rich in minerals and ash. The cool altitude, combined with intense sunlight and strong day-night fluctuations, characterises this wine with an unmistakable freshness, structure and salty tension. The wine is vinified purely in stainless steel in order to bring the purity of the grape variety and the terroir unadulterated into the glass.

Nero d'Avola and Nocera in a classic cuvée, matured for 12 months in 25hl tonneaux – planetas Mamertino comes from the clay and limestone hills of Baronia in the province of Messina. The traditional DOC area goes back to a Roman designation and was already recognised as a wine of distinction by Pliny the Elder. A dense ruby red colour with a violet hue in the glass. The bouquet is full of character and brooding: dark cherries, blackberries and preserved plums meet herbs, balsamic notes, leather and a hint of tobacco. Powerful on the palate, with ripe tannins, dark fruit and a spicy, mineral backbone. The Nocera grape brings freshness and structure, while the Nero d'Avola provides fullness and density. The long, balanced finish clearly reveals the origin and ageing process. An independent red wine from the north-east of the island that combines history and modern elegance in a very exciting way. SUPERIORE.DE

The Rosato from the Alta Mora line comes from old Nerello Mascalese vines on slopes between 600 and 800 metres above sea level on the northern flanks of Mount Etna. The barren, volcanic soils, characterised by lava rock and mineral ash, give the wine a tension typical of its origin and a fine, salty depth. The grapes are harvested early and pressed directly to preserve freshness and finesse. The wine is matured exclusively in stainless steel.

Bell'Assai is a fragrant, elegant Frappato from the chalky and sandy soils around Vittoria in south-east Sicily. The grape variety shows itself here in its most delicate form – with a delicate structure, fine fruit and excellent freshness. A clear ruby red colour with a purple hue in the glass. Bell'Assai is aromatic and delicate on the nose: red cherries, raspberries, floral hints of rose and violets and a hint of white spices. Juicy and silky on the palate with a moderate structure, lively acidity and elegant, almost dancing freshness. The tannins are discreet, the finish is fruit-orientated and subtly spicy. A delicate, charming red wine that is ideal with antipasti, grilled fish or light pasta dishes – and is also a real pleasure when slightly chilled. A frappato full of style and joie de vivre. SUPERIORE.DE

Diego and Alberto Cusumano had a dream that took many years to realise. The family, the third generation of one of Sicily's most important wine houses, searched for years for the right piece of Etna – and found it in Castiglione di Sicilia in 2013. On the northern slope of the volcano, in districts such as Verzella, Feudo di Mezzo, Guardiola and Solicchiata, at an altitude of 800 metres, in black, mineral-rich lava soils. Alta Mora – high and black – is not just a name. It is a description of the place. 100% Nerello Mascalese, hand-picked in October. Mash fermentation lasts twelve days in steel, followed by six months in large 25 hectolitre oak barrels. An accessible entry into the Alta Mora portfolio – and a clear statement: the Nerello Mascalese at these altitudes needs no staging.

70% Nero d'Avola and 30% Frappato from organic cultivation around the historic Dorilli estate between Vittoria and Acate. The vines are rooted in red sandy soils over limestone and the microclimate is characterised by a maritime climate. After careful manual harvesting and maceration, the wine matures for 12 months in large wooden barrels – a deliberately traditional interpretation of Sicily's only DOCG wine.

Saia is the pride and joy of Feudo Maccari – a Nero d'Avola from old bush vines rooted in the barren, chalky soils around Noto. The name refers to the ancient Arab irrigation channels of Sicily – a symbol of lifelines in a sun-scorched landscape. This wine is also an expression of origin, patience and resilience: a Nero d'Avola that could hardly be more purist and powerful. The vines are on average 35 to 45 years old and are trained in Alberello, which reduces yields but maximises concentration and depth. After selective manual harvesting, fermentation takes place at a controlled temperature in steel, after which the wine matures for twelve months in French barriques. This careful vinification preserves the balance between structure, maturity and freshness.

The Inghams came to Sicily in pairs. Benjamin first – in 1806, with the instinct of an entrepreneur. Then, in 1819, his uncle Joseph followed: not to inherit, but to help, to build, to expand. Together they created a trading empire that Marsala shipped all over the world with their fleet. Pellegrino remembers them both – "BIP" for Benjamin, "Uncle Joseph" for the uncle who came when he was needed. And the wine? An outsider among the Marsala types – and that's exactly what makes it interesting. 100% Nero d'Avola, from loamy soils in the Trapesi countryside around Mazara del Vallo, harvested in the second decade of September when fully ripe. Cold maceration, then fermentation stopped with an acquavite matured in oak for at least five years – the depth begins here. 24 months of ageing in French Allier oak barrels give the Rubino structure and that velvety texture that makes Nero d'Avola so unmistakable.

Profound and yet accessible: Cygnus presents itself as an artfully composed liaison between Sicilian passion and international elegance. The cuvée – made from around 60% Nero d'Avola, supplemented by approx. 40% Cabernet Sauvignon – tells the story of two characters: the spirited autochthonous grape variety and the structurally clear, international grape. The name refers to a charming anecdote from the family: in 1881, Richard Wagner devoted himself to swan motifs during a garden stay at Villa Tasca in Palermo, while he was completing the third act of his opera Parsifal – a historical event that appropriately honours Cygnus.

Rami is an attractive and at the same time very individual blend of Grecanico and Inzolia. Bright golden yellow in colour with a slight, typical cloudiness of an orange wine and an initially restrained, reductive bouquet, with some aeration then sweetly scented with apricots, dried flowers and orange peel. This intellectual white needs time and a certain amount of experience with natural wines - with the necessary amount of oxygen, it is highly appetising and elegant on the palate. SUPERIORE.DE

When you start afresh on Etna, you don't start small. In 2016, Davide Rosso acquired fourteen hectares in Solicchiata, at the foot of the extinct small crater Montedolce on the north-eastern slope of the volcano – at 730 to 750 metres, in a microclimate that immediately brought to mind the Langhe precision with which he grew up: cool nights, strong temperature amplitudes, mineral-rich lava sand soils, constant ventilation. "Contrade Nuove" – the new sites – stands for the estate's younger Carricante vines, cultivated as Alberello in a north-north-easterly exposure. They represent a different tone to the old vines of the main cuvée: livelier, more direct, with a freshness and accessibility that makes the terroir of Montedolce immediately recognisable. 100% Carricante. Spontaneous fermentation at low temperatures in stainless steel for 15 to 20 days. Then five months sur lie with weekly bâtonnage – no wood, no intervention, just the volcano with its soil and climate.

100% Carricante from one of the youngest and most promising cru sites on the northern Etna slope: Contrada Taccione is located around 700 metres above sea level in Castiglione di Sicilia, characterised by volcanic sand, basalt rock and millennia-old ash. It is a landscape in motion, shaped by lava, wind and time. It is precisely this tension between barrenness and energy that Planeta translates here into a wine that seems to be made for quiet tones.

Tripudium is a single-varietal Nero d'Avola from classic vineyards around Trapani, from broodinglimestone and clay soils with a light sea breeze – a terroir that gives this wine balance, tension and minerality. The name, inspired by an intoxicating celebration, is a reference to the untamed vitality of Nero d'Avola, which presents itself here as a powerful yet highly charming greatness. The summer of 2020 in Sicily was an interesting balancing act between summer heat and evening freshness, with the grapes ripening with clear depth and lively structure.

A Nero d'Avola with juice and vigour: Nerojbleo comes from the high altitudes of the Iblei mountains around Chiaramonte Gulfi. The vines are rooted there in calcareous clay soils at an altitude of around 450 metres. The temperate microclimate and careful organic cultivation characterise a wine with structure, freshness and a distinct identity. The wine is matured for around 12 months in used barriques and tonneaux. Dark ruby colour with a purple core in the glass. Black cherry, ripe plum, liquorice and a hint of Mediterranean scrub on the nose. On the palate, the Nerojbleo is juicy and harmonious, with well-integrated acidity, fine-grained tannins and supple fruit. The subtle hint of wood adds depth without masking the varietal character. A multi-layered and complex Nero d'Avola with both power and elegance – ideal with grilled meat, savoury pasta dishes or mature cheese. SUPERIORE.DE

Three thousand years of winegrowing history are condensed into one street name: Strada Provinciale 68 near Vittoria, the route along which generations of Sicilian farmers carried their amphorae and later barrels to market. Arianna Occhipinti, a pioneer of Sicilian natural wine, has created a liquid monument to this country road. Albanello and Zibibbo, two indigenous islanders, grow here on red sand over limestone. The grapes ferment together with wild yeasts in concrete, and two weeks of maceration give the Bianco its characteristic texture. Bottled unfiltered, it retains its lively cloudiness.

Donnafugata – a name that epitomises the poetry of Sicilian wine. The fact that the Rallo family also produces outstanding olive oil at their Tenuta di Contessa Entellina is less well known, but no less remarkable. The Milleanni combines four autochthonous olive varieties from the Valle del Belice: Nocellara del Belice, Biancolilla, Cerasuola and the rare Pidicuddara – a quartet that combines the aromatic diversity of western Sicily in one cuvée.