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“Azisa” Bianco Sicilia DOC 2019
Medium deep straw yellow with fresh shine. Fragrant, lively bouquet of lime, orange oil, stone and tropical fruits and sweet spices. On the palate then of buoyant lightness with a fine salty component, which gives the fresh, delicious white its unmistakable character and beautiful drinking flow. In the reverberation very Mediterranean and with a breath of exoticism. SUPERIORE.DE
"Bright shining pale yellow. Fragrant on the nose of lemon blossom and Mediterranean herbs, light citrus scent on the finish. Opens very juicy and straightforward on the palate, medium-bodied and unfussy, slightly salty, ideal with seafood." Falstaff
"A fruity, easy white with sliced-lemon and papaya aromas and flavors. Medium body. Fruity and tangy." James Suckling
read more- Grape Varieties: 85% Grillo, 15% Catarratto
- Cultivation: close to nature
- Expansion: 5 months stainless steel
- Development: stainless steel tank
- Filtration: yes
- Alcohol Content: 13,00 % vol
- Total Extract: 23,15 g/l
- Total Acidity: 5,50 g/l
- Residual Sugar: 2,15 g/l
- Sulfite: 109 mg/l
- ph-Value: 3,42
- Closure: natural cork
- Serving Temperature: 8-10 °C
- Storage Potential: 2023
- Food Recommendations: first course of the sea, grilled vegetables
- Allergens: contains sulphites
stored air-conditioned19100119 · 0,75 l · 15,87 €/l · Price (DE) incl. VAT, excl. Shippingavailable immediately
“Zisola” Rosso Sicilia Noto DOC 2019
Zisola, from the eponymous winery of the Mazzei family in Sicily, is an exceptionally well-made single-varietal Nero d'Avola. Elegantly shining ruby red with a delicately lightening rim. In the flattering fruit bouquet, ripe forest berries and rose hips, lightly reminiscent of blood orange with a hint of cocoa. Juicy and clear on the palate with hearty red fruit, powerful and soft on the final. SUPERIORE.DE
"Bright ruby red. In the nose of cranberries, oranges, cherries, gentle spice in the aftertaste. On the palate with red berry fruit, compact body, hearty, slightly consuming tannin in the final." Falstaff
"The 2019 Noto Rosso is youthfully poised yet very pretty, showing peppery florals, wet stone, black currants and smoke. This is silky in texture with motivating acidity and a cooling blend of savory herbs and tart wild berries. There’s a density and concentration here that is currently held in check by fine tannins, as the 2019 finishes incredibly long, resonating on dark fruits and hints of licorice. Give this a year or two of cellaring to show its best." Vinous
"Brimming with red and black berries, this is an attractively fresh and dry, medium-bodied Sicilian red with touches of licorice and black tea. Rather long, pleasantly dry finish." James Suckling
"The Zisola 2019 Sicilia Noto Zisola is a pure expression of Nero d'Avola from Noto, one of the most beautiful corners of Sicily, with Baroque architecture expressed in white limestone. The wine shows a sweet side that is carried forth by ripe cherry and dried raspberry. This vintage is focused on the fruity side of this mighty Sicilian grape and less so on the earthy or savory tones that you sometimes get with Nero d'Avola. You could pair it with any Southern Italian pasta with tomato sauce, especially a recipe with fried eggplant and shaved ricotta salata." Robert Parker
read more- Grape Variety: 100% Nero d'Avola
- Cultivation: close to nature
- Expansion: 10 months 30/70 new/used barrique
- Development: barrique
- Filtration: yes
- Alcohol Content: 13,00 % vol
- Total Extract: 31,65 g/l
- Total Acidity: 5,78 g/l
- Residual Sugar: 1,85 g/l
- Sulfite: 105 mg/l
- ph-Value: 3,51
- Closure: natural cork
- Serving Temperature: 16-18 °C
- Storage Potential: 2025
- Food Recommendations: spicy fish soups, pasta dishes with meat sauce, red meat
- Allergens: contains sulphites
stored air-conditioned19102119 · 0,75 l · 17,20 €/l · Price (DE) incl. VAT, excl. Shippingavailable immediately
“Achilles” Syrah Sicilia Noto DOC 2017
The new red from Zisola is a 100% Syrah in radiant ruby violet. Spicy bouquet with notes of black cherry, cassis, undergrowth and foliage. Juicy, engaging and balsamic on the palate, with prominent tannins and interesting acidity. Subtle hints of cocoa and smoked bacon on the long finish. SUPERIORE.DE
"Strong ruby red. In the nose of lush raspberries and wild berries, delicate plum, minimal pepper spice, a hint of milk chocolate in the aftertaste. On the palate dense and with grip, juicy and clear on the tongue, exciting course, lingers long." Falstaff
"A relatively new wine, the Zisola 2017 Sicilia Achilles is a pure expression of Syrah. This grape normally delivers especially rich and abundant wines from Sicily; however, this bottle holds back a bit in terms of intensity and concentration. The results are solidly mid-weight, and the wine reveals easy perfumes of dark cherry, cassis, spice and earthy leather. This vintage shows extra roundness and a supple quality to the fruit." Robert Parker
"The 2017 Syrah Achilles captivates the senses with a beguiling bouquet that mixes black fruits, smoke and pepper with sweet violet and lavender notes. It’s silky and round in feel, balanced by a concentration of tart wild berries, savory herbs and a bitter touch of mocha toward the close. There’s a combination of decadence and contrasting sour citrus tension here that I find quite pleasurable, as the Achilles finishes lightly structured and persistent under an air of tar and tobacco. Nicely done." Vinous
read more- Grape Variety: 100% Syrah
- Cultivation: close to nature
- Expansion: 16 months 50/50 new/used barrique
- Development: barrique
- Filtration: yes
- Alcohol Content: 14,50 % vol
- Total Extract: 32,25 g/l
- Total Acidity: 5,88 g/l
- Residual Sugar: 1,20 g/l
- Sulfite: 79 mg/l
- ph-Value: 3,46
- Closure: natural cork
- Serving Temperature: 18-20 °C
- Storage Potential: 2028+
- Allergens: contains sulphites
stored air-conditioned19102517 · 0,75 l · 29,20 €/l · Price (DE) incl. VAT, excl. Shippingavailable immediately
“Effe Emme” Rosso Terre Siciliane IGT 2016
This wine represents a new chapter for Mazzei's Zisola winery and for all of Sicily. Very few producers on the island make a pure Petit Verdot. The Alberello vines are planted on highly calcareous soils. Effe Emme shows a dark fruit intensity with subtle background notes of chalk and crushed minerals. Powerful and full-bodied on the palate, juicy and firmly structured. Only 4,500 bottles were produced. SUPERIORE.DE
"Crushed blackberries with hints of flowers that follow through to a medium to full body, chewy tannins and a long and flavorful finish." James Suckling
"Deep ruby. Boasts lovely perfume of violet and delicate spices complementing the blueberry and blackberry fruit. Suave and well balanced, with flavors similar to the aromas, and with polished tannins that provide support to the long, fresh finish. Strikes me as one of the freshest, easier to like Petit Verdots from Zisola ever." Vinous
"A pure expression of Petit Verdot, the Zisola 2016 Effe Emme draws its fruit from labor-intensive alberello or bush-trained vines. This is a full and generous wine with lots of dark fruit concentration, blackberry and exotic spice. There is a touch of bitterness to the spice, with some scorched earth and a recognizable layer of black olive or baked eggplant. The aromas are faithfully Sicilian in personality. The wine boasts big structure with solid tannins and a loose-knit texture." Robert Parker
read more- Grape Variety: 100% Petit Verdot
- Cultivation: close to nature
- Expansion: 16 months 50/50 new/used barrique
- Development: barrique
- Filtration: yes
- Alcohol Content: 14,00 % vol
- Total Extract: 31,25 g/l
- Total Acidity: 5,92 g/l
- Residual Sugar: 0,89 g/l
- Sulfite: 88 mg/l
- ph-Value: 3,50
- Closure: natural cork
- Serving Temperature: 18-20 °C
- Storage Potential: 2027+
- Allergens: contains sulphites
stored air-conditioned19102416 · 0,75 l · 30,53 €/l · Price (DE) incl. VAT, excl. Shipping7 units available

The history of the noble Mazzei family is not only closely linked to wine production in Tuscany. The Florentine wine dynasty, which has been active in viticulture for almost 600 years and for 24 generations, also found its unmistakable sense for particularly suitable terroirs in southeastern Sicily. In its third vineyard, after the world-famous Castello di Fonterutoli (Chianti Classico) and the Tenuta Belguardo (Maremma), Zisola, not far from the town of Noto, a UNESCO World Heritage site and famous for its baroque buildings, vineyards in broad bushes alternate with citrus, olive and almond trees.
It is above all thanks to senior boss Lapo Mazzei and his two sons Filippo and Francesco that the family recognised the great potential and added value of this small piece of land in the province of Syracuse, one of the most beautiful and impressive on the island, and selected it for their ambitious project on their tireless quest for new challenges. The Tenuta Zisola has very calcareous skeletal soils. The microclimate is characterized by heat during the day and cold at night, as well as by sea breezes that soften temperature peaks. On the almost 50 hectare large former manor house thrive - without exception grown in the Alberello system - above all Nero d'Avola, the flagship variety of the region of origin, but also in smaller quantities of Cabernet, Syrah and Petit Verdot. Grillo and Catarratto are used as raw materials for the house's only white wine to be produced for the first time in 2014 alongside three red wines.
Marchesi Mazzei, one of the oldest ten family businesses in Italy and one of the most awarded producers in Chianti Classico by wine guides and wine critics, relies on the support of oenologist icon Carlo Ferrini to maintain the vines and work in the cellar. Also in their Sicilian winery the successes were not long in coming. For example, the Zisola 2013 was published by the trade magazine "Wine Spectator" to the list of "Top 100 Wines of 2015" recorded. And Filippo Mazzei was featured by the gourmet journal "gourmets" to "Winemaker of the year 2015" ...and I've chosen the best.
The two idyllically situated cellars of Tenuta Zisola, here called Baglio, are state-of-the-art, so that the grapes can be transformed as gently as possible into high-quality wines. The sanctum of the company, which also produces olive oil and grappa, is equipped with temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks that can hold a total of 1,000 hectolitres. To refine the red wines, cellar master Luca Biffi has around 200 different French oak barriques at his disposal, about half of which are new. SUPERIORE.DE
Facts
- Year of foundation: 2002
- Owner: Marchesi Mazzei
- Oenologists: Luca Biffi and Carlo Ferrini (Consulting)
- Annual production: approx. 120,000 bottles
- Vineyard: approx. 17 hectares
- Conventional cultivation