Sicily

Question 1

What is the climate of Sicily?

Answer 1

Warm Mediterranean
Microclinate areas such as altitudes of Etna
Low rainfall so irrigation is necessary

Question 2

What are the key grapes of Sicily?

Answer 2

Catarrato
Nero d’Avola
Grillo
Inzolia (aka Ansonica)
Syrah

Question 3

What is the typical winemaking techniques for Sicilian white wines?

Answer 3

Medium fermentation temperatures
Aged in stainless steel for 6 months
Release early for primary fruit driven wines

Question 4

What is the name of the fortified wine made in Sicily?

Answer 4

Marsala

Question 5

What are the main characters of Catarratto and wine style?

Answer 5

High yielding
Disease resistant

High acidity, medium alcohol, light intensity, lemon and herbal notes

Inexpensive, acceptable to good quality

Question 6

What are the main characteristics of the Grillo grape and typical wine style made?

Answer 6

Natural cross between Catarratto and Moscato
High yielding
Heat and disease resistant
Loss of aromas through over-exposure of bunches
Oxidises easily so modern protective winemaking techniques

High acidity, medium alcohol, full body, medium intensity, lemon and floral

Good to very good, inexpensive to mid-priced

Oak aged example from Marco de Bartoli, which is premium priced

Question 7

Which variety in Sciliy is used to make numerous styles of wine from dry and late harvest to passito?

Answer 7

Moscato

Question 8

What are he key characters of the Inzolia grape and typical wine style?

Answer 8

Eatly ripening
Drought resistant
Pick early to retain acidity
Good blending partner to Grillo and Catarratto due to medium acidity

Medium acidity, medium body, medium (-) intensity, lemon

Inexpensive to mid-priced, acceptable to good with some very good

Question 9

What are the main characteristics of the Neeo d’Avola grape?

Answer 9

Late ripening
Grows well in hot climate
Adaptable and can grow in damper cooler sites
Vigorous 
Uneven flowering

Question 10

What is the typical wine style from the variety Neeo d’Avola?

Answer 10

Medium to deep ruby, Medium to medium (+) acidity, medium (+) to high tannins, red cherry to black plums

At moderate yields very good to outstanding and aged in small oak barrels, mid-priced to premium

At high yields acceptable to good, inexpensive ti mid-priced, short ageing in stainless steel

Question 11

Which Sicily DOCG blends Nero d’Avola with Frappato for wines with very good concentration where max yields is 52 hL/Ha?

Answer 11

Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG

Top prodcer include Cos

Question 12

Which Sicilian variety adds strawberry and herbal aromas and fresh red fruits to a blend?

Answer 12

Frappato

Question 13

Which red Sicilian grape isnoften used for volume production at high yeilds but have started to gain reputation for vines grown on Etna?

Answer 13

Nerello Mascalese

Etna Toss DOC

Question 14

Which DOC in Sicily have their best wines made from old vines with low yields grown on moderate to steep slopes of Etna?

Answer 14

Etna Rosso DOC

High acidity, medium intensity, medium (+) to high tannins, red cherry

Aged in large neutral oask casks

Riserva aged for 4 years of which one has to be in wood

Very good to outstanding, mid-priced to premium

Question 15

What is the grape behind Etna Bianco DOC?

Answer 15

Carricante

Question 16

Whats been the key development of Sicilia DOC is the past decade

Answer 16

It used to be IGT Sicilia
High max yields
Began with no requirement to bittle at region of production so large volumes were bottled northern italy
The above now rectified with increased scale of DOC wines from Grillo and Neeo d’Avola

Question 17

From a wine business point of veiw, what is unusual for Sicily?

Answer 17

Matket les by a small number of large and influential companies

Question 18

What percentage of Sicilian plantings is owned by co-operatives?

Answer 18

7% from 2k growers

Question 19

Whats been the evolutions of Sicilian wines from a business standpoint?

Answer 19

Used to be bulk wines to add body and alcohol to wines of cooler regions

Still only 20% of production is bottles in Sicily

Now have inexpensiveto super-premium wines

Became more well known in 1990s but suffered drop in quality

In this century high interests in Etna Rosso wines via specialists bar and retailers

Assovini Sicilia represents 70 business making up 80% of wines by value