Sicilia Flashcards
Which winery is well-known for levelling up Sicilian wines, even attained one DOCG status.
Planeta
What is the DOCG in Sicily?
Cerasuaolo de Vittoria
What is Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG?
•dry red wines, have subzone Classico
•50-70% Nero d’Avola (Calabrese)
•30-50% Frappato (never dominant)
•min 12.5%
•wines may not be sold until June 1 after harvest year
CLASSICO
•wines may not be sold until March 31 of the second year following harvest
What is the climate here in Sicily?
Mediterranean
What is the major geographical feature in Sicily?
Mount Etna
What is the sea that is between the west coast mainland of Italy, Sicily, and Sardinia?
Tyrrhenian Sea
What is the soil type found in and on Mount Etna?
Volcanic
Mount Etna is still an active volcano, the most active in Europe.
What are the 4 main white grape varieties in Sicily?
- Carricante
- Catarratto
- Grillo
- Inzolia
What are the 3 main red grape varieties in Sicily?
- Nerello Mascalese
- Nero d’Avola
- Frappato
What are the 3 styles of still wines that are made on the island of Sicily?
- Dry white wines
- Dry red wines
- Fortified wines (Marsala)
Name 2 important Etna producers?
- Tenuta delle Terre Nere
- Girolamo Russo
Name 2 well known producers in Cerasuolo di Vittoria.
- Arianna Occhipinti
- Valle dell’Acate
What styles of wines are produced under Etna DOC?
•Bianco
•Bianco Superiore
•Rosso
•Rosso Riserva
•Rosato
•Spumante (rosato or bianco)
What is Etna Bianco DOC?
•dry white wines, can have Superiore
•min 60% Carricante
•max 40% Catarratto
•max 15% Trebbiano and/or Minella Bianca and/or other non-aromatic white grapes in Sicily
•min alcohol 11.5% abv
SUPERIORE
•min 80% Carricante
•max 20% Trebbiano and/or Minella Bianca and/or other non-aromatic white grapes in Sicily
•wines may only originate from the commune of Milo
•min alcohol 12% abv
What is Etna Rosso DOC?
•dry red wines, can have Riserva
•min 80% Nerello Mascalese
•max 20% Nerello Mantellato (Nerello Cappuccio)
•max 10% non-aromatic white grapes in Sicily
•min alcohol 12.5% abv
RISERVA
•min alcohol 13% abv
•min aging 4 years from Nov 1 of harvest year (12 months in wood)
What is Etna Rosato DOC?
•dry rosé wines
•min 80% Nerello Mascalese
•max 20% Nerello Mantellato (Nerello Cappuccio)
•max 10% non-aromatic white grapes in Sicily
•min alcohol 12.5% abv
•wines may be a product of saignee or blending
What is the spumante wines in Etna DOC?
•can be rosato or bianco
•must be made from Metodo Classico
•min 80% Nerello Mascalese
•max 20% other grapes in Sicily
•min alcohol 11%
•residual sugar: may be brut or extra dry
•must undergo secondary fermentation in bottle and rest on less min 18 months
What styles of wines of produced under Sicily DOC?
•Bianco: Superiore / Riserva / Vendemmia Tardiva / Passito Bianco
•Rosato
•Rosso: Riserva / Vendemmia Tardiva / Passito
•Spumante (Bianco/Rosato)
•Varietal wines: Inzolia, Grillo, Chardonnay (and many more)
What is Marsala DOC?
•fortified wines
•residual sugar levels (must indicated on the bottles):
-Secco (max 40 g/L)
-Semisecco (40-100 g/L)
-Dolce (min 100 g/L)
•categorise by colour: Oro (gold), Ambra (amber), Rubin (ruby)
•have different classifications: Fine, Superiore, Superiore Riserva,Vergine/Solera, Vergine/Solera Riserva, Vergine/Solera Stravecchio
What are the grape varieties used in Marsala DOC?
Oro / Ambra
•Grillo, Ansonica (Inzolia), Catarratto, Damaschino
•Ambra wines must include min 1% mosto cotto (natural sweetener)
•Oro wines not allowed mosto cotto
Rubino
•Perricone, Calabrese (Nero d’Avola) and Nerello Mascalese plus a max 30% white grapes
•not allowed mosto cotto
