Sicily

Question 1

What/where is Sicily

Answer 1

A large island at the toe of Italy

Question 2

What type of wine does it produce?

Answer 2

Large volumes of bulk wine and distinctive PDO wines

Question 3

Which 2 local grapes dominate Sicily?

Answer 3

white Catarratto
black Nero d’Avola

Question 4

What is the climate in Sicily?

Answer 4

warm Mediterranean, highly suitable for grape growing, plus some microclimates (ie, altitude - Etna).

Question 5

Irrigation?

Answer 5

Low rainfall necessitates irrigation, esp in hi volume production areas

Question 6

What do Catarrato, Grillo and Inzolia have in common?

Answer 6

Local white varieties producing inexpensive, dry white wines, plus Marsala (fortified).
They are mainly blended with each other or Chardonnay
Typically fermented at medium temp (17-25ºC) and aged in S/S for 6 months before bottling and early release.

Question 7

Describe Catarratto

Answer 7

High Yielding, disease resistant
Light intensity lemon and herbal notes
High Acidity
Medium Alcohol
Wines are inexpensive and acceptable to good Quality

Question 8

Describe Grillo (crossing)

Answer 8

A natural cross between Catarratto and Moscato
Moderately high yielding and heat resistant, good disease resistant (suitable for Sicily’s warm climate)
Care required to not over-expose the bunches - can lead to loss of aroma
Must oxidises quickly requiring modern winemaking techniques

Question 9

Grillo Tasting Note?

Answer 9

Full Bodied
Medium Int of Lemon and floral notes
Medium alcohol
High acidity
Most Grillo is good to v good quality, inexpensive to mid-price.

Question 10

Who makes an oak-aged Grillo example?

Answer 10

Marco de Bartoli, early champion of the variety, premium priced.

Question 11

Inzolia grape descriptor

Answer 11

AKA Ansonica
early ripening with good drought resistance
requires picking early to retain acidity
Medium(-) intensity of lemon fruit
medium acidity and medium body
a useful blending partner with higher acidity Catarratto and Grillo

Question 12

Alcamo Bianco DOC blend example?

Answer 12

Min 60% Catarratto with other specified local varieties such as Grillo and Inzolia
Max yield 84 hL/ha

Question 13

Moscato is aka in Sicily as what?

Answer 13

Muscat of Alexandria, locally known as Zibibbo

Question 14

Grape characteristics of Moscato

Answer 14

Heat and drought resistant, making a wide range of styles from dry to passito

Question 15

Which Island produces different styles of Moscato?
What is the climate?
Vine planting?

Answer 15

Pantelleria (closer to Tunisia than to Sicily).
Has intense sunlight, heat and drying wines mean that only drought-resistant varieties can flourish.
Low Bush Vines in Individual planting holes to conserve water and wind protection

Question 16

What wines does Pantilleria produce from Moscato?

Answer 16

Dry - fermented in S/S, released to retain muscat character
Late Harvest - picked a week later than for dry wines with fermentation stopped to retain residual sugar
Passito - made with semi-dried grapes, traditionally sun-dried, high levels of residual sugar

Question 17

Describe Passito wines

Answer 17

Deep Lemon in colour
Pronounced aromas of cooked orange, apricot and honey, sweet with hi alcohol
good to outstanding quality, premium and super p priced
Donnafugata produces all 3 styles

Question 18

Describe Nero D’Avola’s growing conditions

Answer 18

Most planted black variety in Sicily
aka Calabrese grows well in hot climate
Late ripening, often grown close to the ground to maximise heat
Adaptable so can also grow in damper, cooler sites
Vigorous, needs lots of canopy management (add cost)
Susceptible to Powdery Mildew and uneven flowering

Question 19

Tasting note for Nero d’Avola?

Answer 19

Deep ruby with red cherry and black plum fruit
med(+) to hi tannins
medium to med+ acidity
At moderate yields the grape can produce v good to outstanding wines with concentration.
Aged in small oak barrels
mid-priced to premium
At high yields it produces acceptable to good wines, stored in S/S for 6 months, inexpensive to mid-priced.

Question 20

What is Sicily’s only DOCG wine?

Answer 20

Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG

Question 21

Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG Tasting note?

Answer 21

Made with 50-70% Nero d’Avola and blended with 30-50% Frappato
Frappato adds strawberry and herbal aromas
Max yield 52 hL/ha = v good concentration

Question 22

Qualities of the Nerello Mascelese grape?

Answer 22

grown for volume production at high yields
in last 2 decades