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| Written by Administrator | |
| Thursday, 14 August 2008 21:08 | |
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Vitivinicola Avide, Comiso, Sicilia Founded over one hundred years ago by a Notaio (a fixture in every Italian province whose duties combined those of a notary, justice of the peace and town scribe) named Giuseppe Demostene who fell in love with and married Giuseppina De Stefano, the daughter of a wealthy, landed family who then inherited some prime land already planted to vines, carob trees and olives. As their brochure proudly says,“Between ancient stone walls and vines that reach beyond the horizon, in a corner of Sicilia where time seems to stand still, the Avide estate produces prestigious wines from selected grapes with great care to offer to true lovers of wine”. Cut to several generations later and Giovanni Calcaterra is firmly in charge of a cantina with an international rep for hearty wines at fair pricing. We tasted the entire range and brought in three to start you off: Avide Nero d’Avola Herea 2008, Sicilia $21.00 Our tasting notes from VinItaly: “Pure dark cherries, quite lush, with good acidity to balance it all out. Outstanding value for money and this will give a lot of $40 Pinots a good run for their money. Grab a pile of it before it’s gone!" Avide Frappato Herea 2008, Sicilia $21.00 We like to think of Frappato as sort of like the Grenache or Malbec of Sicilia: a small amount of it is often blended into more “serious” varieties (Nero d’Avola or even Syrah) to brighten up the wine and make it more versatile. On its own it has a lovely wild strawberry nose with some exotic spices singing backup while the darker color and flavors you get once you take a sip propel you into a bit heavier groove. If there is any of this left by Thanksgiving it will be a swingin’ dance partner for the bird and all the trimmings but try some now with a pizza or your favorite hearty pasta to see what it has to offer. Avide Cerasuolo di Vittoria Etichetta Nera 2007, Sicilia $27.99 Avide Cerasuolo di Vittoria Barocco 2001, Sicilia $47.99 Two different takes on Sicilia’s first DOCG: The Etichetta Nera (black label) is 60/40 Frappato/Nero d’Avola fermented in steel and aged eight months in bottle resulting in a deep pomegranate aroma and a firm, spicy, dry finish. The Barocco flips the blend with 60% Nero d’Avola dominating the cuvée, a year’s rest in barriques and an additional two years refinement in bottle, bringing a more mature, earth and meat driven flavor set to the table. Cantina Colle Acre, Palazzolo Acreide (founded 664 BC!*), Sicilia The owners of this estate in the Val di Noto high in the mountains above Siracusa chose to work here because of the mineral laden volcanic soil and, most especially, the temperature extremes: the vineyards are really quite cold in the winter and blazingly hot and dry in the summer, perfect for high quality wine vines (which like to go dormant in the winter but often are unable to in more temperate climes). The fact that local archeological digs show that the Greeks thought the same also gave them confidence. They tend the vines with much respect for nature and lots of hard work then harvest the fruit of the land by hand into 20 kilogram boxes for transport to the cantina. Their aim is to preserve the traditions of their zone while using what modern techniques do not mask the unique character that nature has given their land. And, you really have to love that their price list says “prezzi in vigore” which means “vigorous pricing!”... Colle Acre Sicilia Rosso Convivium 2006 Sold Out, New Vintage Soon! Hello gorgeous! This is REALLY good, classic Nero d’Avola (100%) with a long smooth finish and is sure to please a broad range of wine lovers with or without food. The juice for Convivium is macerated on the skins for seven days before fermentation for richness of flavor and texture then slowly fermented at very cool temps to retain the freshness of the fruit. It’s very name reminds us of one of our favorite admonitions about wine....“Caution: The moderate consumption of wine with meals may lead to good digestion, free ranging conversations, increased levels of conviviality and generally civilized living!” Be careful out there... Colle Acre Sicilia Rosso Colle Acre 2005 Sold Out, New Vintage Soon! Another Nero d’Avola in purezza, this is quite serious wine on the order of our beloved Curto Fontanelle, with forest floor and exotic spices on the nose then deep black fruit in the mouth and a VERY rich texture. The berries are crushed and then the wine is kept on the skins throughout a long, cool fermentation in stainless steel before extended bottle aging to marry all the flavors and textures. Colle Acre Eloro Rosso Thyonianus 2004, Sicilia $34.99 Roberto’s notes from VinItaly: “Holy (expletive deleted)! One of the best Nero d’Avola based wines I have ever tasted: classic old school textures, asian spices and earth on the nose, very long and persistent in the mouth...you may have visions of a medieval banquet featuring a large, spit roast animal in front of you on first sniffing it. Plus, the guy on the label looks like he could be the host.” This is the essence of the ripest fruit from the oldest vines, having been aged in large, old wood for a few months before refinement in bottle and it has a wonderful story to tell you if you give it time and some hearty food. *Palazzolo Acreide is a U.N. World Historic Heritage Site and you MUST visit if you are ever nearby. Sights / sites include a Greek Amphitheater, Baroque churches, incredible views and, of course, great wine (and Cantina Curto is nearby as well). Delicious Wines from Ancient Vines: Antica Azienda Agraria Curto, Ispica, Sicilia While relative amateurs compared to the folks at Agnes, Faltognano or Novacella, the Curto family have cultivated vineyards since 1670 (as demonstrated by an official dowry note of that era) and have a vast experience in various types of agriculture including wine, olives, citrus fruit, almonds, prickly pears, grains and produce. The wines are made from VERY old, head-pruned alberello system Nero d’Avola vines that look like miniature olive trees and yield no more than two tons of grapes per acre of the pure extract of the mountainous earth. This results in rich, meaty reds softer than your average Pinot but packed with complex flavors (which will really expand with a good airing in the glass or decanter). Fun fact: a spin of the globe will reveal that the vineyards are actually located SOUTH of Tunisia, in a zona called Pachino in the province of Ragusa which gets more sun than any other zona in Italy (but cool sea breezes moderate the temperature at night, a crucial factor in quality wine production). Curto Eloro Rosso 2003, Sicily Sold Out, Returning Soon! Curto Eloro Rosso Fontanelle 2002, Sicily $26.99 Azienda Vinicola Fatascià, San Giuseppe Jato, Palermo, Sicilia This is a new estate, founded in 2002 by Stefania Lena, her husband, Giuseppe, and her brother, Gianfranco. Their aim was to take the experience they had from working in various sectors of the wine culture in Sicilia and focus it on making wines that were informed by modern methods but were always truly Siciliano. Their vineyards range from 350 to 800 meters above the Mediterranean, rooted in intensely mineral laden volcanic soil. They also make an outstanding Cerasuolo di Vittoria (Sicilia’s first DOCG) from grapes grown in that zona. Their motto is “Tipicità ed innovazione” (typicity and innovation)... it’s working. Fatascià Nero d’Avola Kailà 2008, Sicilia $18.99 The cantina calls this bottling “our bet with the market” meaning that they think that this rich, delicious yet very affordable red will be a big hit and they are betting the farm on it. We’ll cover that action... Fatascià Nero d’Avola Almanera 2003, Sicilia Sold Out, New Vintage Soon! This bottling comes from vines pruned for lower yields, left to hang longer for added oomph and then macerated on the skins during fermentation before aging in wood for eight months. Net result: meatier, beatier, bouncier and rarin’ to get at some hearty food...pronto! Fatascià Cerasuolo di Vittoria l’Amuleto 2004, Sicilia Sold Out, New Vintage Soon! This zona in the southeast of Sicilia is fast becoming known for its highly structured, aromatic and inviting wines made from a blend of our old friend Nero d’Avola and a much spicier and livelier variety called Frappato. This one is made from fully ripened grapes that go through a long maceration on the skins for extra complexity. The Frappato is kept fresh and lively while the Nero d’Avola fattens up in oak barriques for six months then the two are blended and aged an additional year in bottle before release. Final result: De-Lish! Fatascià Nero d’Avola Rosso del Presidente 2007, Sicilia $34.00 This bottling combines the lush, dark cherry and black plum essence of local fave Nero d’Avola and pumps up the structure and aromatics with a committed dose of spicy Cabernet Franc. We were skeptical at first too but it works...it really really works! Maggio Vini, Vittoria, Sicilia For over fifty years la famiglia Maggio has worked the land in the hills of the Vittoria zona with respect and molto passione. They have now gone the extra step of embracing full-on organic agriculture in most of their vineyards. Massimo and Barbara want you to taste their wines and be transported to their zona, a sunny and tranquil place with really great food... Maggio Vini Nero d’Avola Pithoi 2006, Sicilia $12.99 ORGANIC Yet another entry into one of the hottest categories in our store, this wine has rich black and red berry flavors with a solid meaty underpinning, all drawn from tightly spaced organically cultivated vines. The grapes are macerated for two weeks before fermentation then the wine is allowed to integrate in tank for nine months followed by another six in bottle before release. It is well balanced, just 13.5% ABV and plays well with roast or braised meats, birds from the rotisserie or strong cheeses. Mangia! Nostri Feudi della Famiglia Manzo, Marsala, Sicilia We had a chance to really get to know Stefano Manzo this time around and he is INTENSE: obsessed with quality and integrity, he says that he learned what NOT to do while apprenticing at several local industrial cantine. All the wines in their portfolio come from their own fruit so he can control everything and this is very important to him. The Nero d’Avola from his Pietra Tagliata line has already been a big hit here and now we bring you the first offering from his value line, Nostri Feudi: Nostri Feudi Rosso Sicilia 2007 Sold Out, New Vintage Soon! Roberto’s notes: “WOW! Best value red at the show...so delicious I almost drank a whole glass of it while we talked with Stefano about it. Get loads of this as soon as possible! Nero d’Avola 40% + Frappato 40% + Sangiovese 20% = 150% YUMMMY!!!!”
Azienda Vinicola Puleo, Sciacca, Sicilia Founded in 2000 by Davide Puleo in an attempt to consolidate his skills learned as a sommelier and cellarhand in one of the oldest wine zonas in Sicilia, Puleo is situated in the part of the Sicilian coast that looks out upon the Mediterranean sea, between the temples of Agrigento and Selinunte, where the cult of the vine has been handed down for centuries. The results are already impressive: Puleo Nero d’Avola Antiche Vie 2005, Sicilia Sold Out, New Vintage Soon! 100% Nero d’Avola grown in limestone rich soils at fairly low yields gives this wine a rich and supple mouthfeel and deep plum and currant fruit flavors. Its extremely soft finish means it can be consumed with or without food. Puleo Nero d’Avola Morogò 2004, Sicilia Sold Out, New Vintage Soon! Bigger, richer, meatier, just plain MORE of everything: hand selected grapes from lower yielding vines soaked on the skins for 20 days before fermentation then aged one year in small oak. This results in a brooding wine with intense leather, vanilla, rose petal and dark candied fruit on the nose and a full bodied, meaty finish. |
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| Last Updated ( Thursday, 22 July 2010 18:58 ) |