Sicilia

Question 1

How did the Greeks influence viticulture in Sicilia?

Answer 1

-Economic prosperity
-Brought native grapes
-Viticultural practices
-Alberello training and pruning

Question 2

How did the Romans influence viticulture in Sicilia?

Answer 2

More wheat planted to support military expansion

Question 3

What historical events impacted the Marsala industry?

Answer 3

-Great Britains presence in the Med led to increased Marsala demands
-1880s - med 20th c peak of wine growing
-Later 20c decline in fortified wine demand

Question 4

How did Sicilia’s wine industry shift to its modern wine making trends?

Answer 4

Research of the Isitutoe Regionale della Vite e del Vino (IRW)

-Researched varities, clones, rootstocks, training and experimental vineyards

Question 5

Who were the key producers of dry wines in the 20th c in Sicilia?

Answer 5

Duca de Salaparuta

Tasca d’Almerita

Question 6

What are unique geographical features of Sicily?

Answer 6

Italys largest region

Italys largest island

Italys largest mountain south of the Alps - Etna

Italys southernmost region

Question 7

What is the topographical breakdown of Sicilia?

Answer 7

62% Hills

24% Mountains

14% Plains

Question 8

What is Sicilia’s climate?

Answer 8

Coasts - Mediterranean: warm, dry summers, mild winters

Mountains, Etna, Enna - semi-continental

Snow common in high elevations, drought in summer, low disease pressure

Question 9

What are the top 5 most planted grapes in Sicilia?

Answer 9

1. Catarratto Bianco -1/3 of vineyard area (white, native)
2. Nero d’Avola (red, native)
3. Syrah
4. Grillo (white, native)
5. Nerello Mascalese (red, native)

Question 10

Describe Sicily’s role in Italy’s wine industry

Answer 10

-Italy’s largest area under vine: 250,000 acrea

-3 or 4 total wine production = 12% of country’s production

-Largest producer of fresh grape must and RCGM

40% IGT
20% DOC (increasing recently)
Remained wine w/o origin

Question 11

What is Garganega called in Sicily?

Answer 11

Grecanico Dorato

Question 12

What are the 3 appellation groupings in Sicilia and how are they grouped?

Answer 12

3 corners and 3 historic administrative sub-regions:
1. Val Demona - northeast
2. Val di Noto - southeast
3. Val di Mazara - western

Question 13

Describe the growing conditions in Etna DOC

Answer 13

Some of Italy’s (and Europes) highest vineyards - 1,000

Continental to alpine with significant diurnal swings

More Northern style grapes than southern

Alberello used

Question 14

What style is Etna Rosso made in?

Answer 14

Burgundian - elegant, soft tannins, bright acid, aromatic finesse

Reds - some aged in small barrels, other botti

Whites - stainless steel or large old oak

Question 15

What is required of Etna Bianco Superiore?

Answer 15

80% Carricante

Must come from Milo

Question 16

What are contrade?

Answer 16

Neighborhoods or hamlets with differing volcanic soil types on the side of Mt Etna

133 contradas can be added to label if 100% come from there

Question 17

What appellation other than Etna makes wines from Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappucio?

Answer 17

Faro DOC

45-60% Nerello Mascalese
15 - 30% Nerello Cappucio
5 - 10% Nocera

Question 18

What is the famous Roman wine from Sicilia?

Answer 18

Mamertinum - one of the best red wines in Italy during Roman times

Question 19

What is vino perpetuo?

Answer 19

A fortified wine similar to Madeira made in an Italian solera system. Became the base for Marsala

Question 20

Who are the important producers in Marsala?

Answer 20

Wood house
Ingram
Florio
Marco di Bartoli

Question 21

What were important progessions for development of Marsala?

Answer 21

English interest in 1770s
Phyloxera decline in quality
1931 officially delimited to protect quality, long before 1960s DOC system
Marsala Speciali after WWII flavored with food. Turned it into cooking product - damaged image.
Quality producers and creation of DOC with elimination of Speciali

Question 22

What are the 4 main grapes for Marsala and what is their associated style?

Answer 22

Grillo: best quality, high sugar

Catarratto: traditional, high volume. Lower alcohol, quick oxidation

Inzolia: widely used before oidium, perfumed

Damas chino: least used, high yielding

Question 23

What is the style of Marsala Vergine?

Answer 23

White grape base

Fortified with acquavite or ethyl alcohol only

Aged in partially filled barrels

5 years aging, If 10 years can be riserva or stravecchio

4% r/s, 18% abv

Vergine and Solera are interchangeable

Question 24

What is the style of Marsala Fine?

Answer 24

80% of total Marsala production

Vino conciato

Mainly sold to food industry

1 year aging, 17.5% abv

Question 25

What is the style of Marsala Superiore?

Answer 25

20% of Marsala production

Vino conciato

2 years aging. Can be riserva after 4 years. Can also be labeled vintage

18% abv

Can be labeled by color (oro, ambra, Rubino) and sweetness levels

Question 26

What does concia/conciato mean?

Answer 26

“Treated” akak adding grape spirit, ethyl alcohol, or grape must to a base wine. Used in Marsala production

Question 27

What are the grapes and style of Contea di Scalfani?

Answer 27

Sicliy’s most prestigious appellation

Rosso - Nero d’Avola, Perricone

Bianco - Catarratto

Question 28

What are the styles of Cerasuolo do Vittoria DOCG?

Answer 28

50 - 70% Nero d’Avola, 30 - 50% Frappato - red (not rose)
Min 13% abv
Released after June 1 following harvest

Sicily’s first DOCG

Question 29

What styles are allowed in Vittoria DOC?

Answer 29

Varietal: Frappato, Nero d‘Avila, Inzolia, Vittoria Rosso

Novello on red allowed

Question 30

What are the native red grapes of Sicily?

Answer 30

Nero d’Avola/Calabrese - most grown native red in Sicily
Nerello Mascalese- named after town on slopes of Mt Etna
Frappato
Perricone

Question 31

What international varieties are most planted in Sicily?

Answer 31

Syrah
Chardonnay

20% of area under vine

Question 32

What are the native white grapes of Sicily?

Answer 32

Catarratto Bianco (Commune & Lucido are biotypes)
Grillo
Inzolia/Ansonica
Zibibbo/Moscasto di Alessandria
Carricante
Malvasia di Lipari

Question 33

What are the islands of Sicily?

Answer 33

Pantelleria - largest, close to Tunisia.

Aeolian Islands - Lipari, Stomboli, Vulcano

Question 34

How is Passito di Pantelleria made?

Answer 34

Step 1: Air dried Zibibbo (muscat) grapes hand-harvested
Sun-dried either on graticci in stenditoi (open-air, stone walled enclosed spaces) or plastic tunnels for 1 - 4 weeks
Sugar concentrates to 25 - 50%

Step 2: Second harvest of fresh grapes in Sept and vilified.
Air-dried grapes added to must

Makes lusciously sweet, complex dessert wine

Question 35

How is Moscato di Pantelleria different from the passito version?

Answer 35

Moscato is made from fresh grapes, made in a sweet style (no air-drying)

Only one vinification

Question 36

How is Malvasia delle Lipari Passito and Malvasia made?

Answer 36

Passito: Late-harvest grapes, appassimento for 1 - 3 weeks.
6%./ 60 g/L r/s

Malvasia only: late-harvest, non-appassimento grapes

Question 37

What grapes are used to make red Marsala?

Answer 37

Nero d’Avola
Perricone
Nerello Mascalese

Question 38

What does conca mean in Sicily?

Answer 38

Shallow holes dug in the ground to shield vines from wind (Pantelleria)

Question 39

What is the traditional vine training method in Pantelleria?

Answer 39

Alberello Pantesco

Unseco designated term

Question 40

What are the appellations on volcanic soils in Sicilia?

Answer 40

Etna
Panetelleria
Lipari