Sicily Flashcards
What separates Sicily from Calabria.
Strait of Messina
Who discovered Marsala in Sicily and when?
John Woodhouse
1773
He first fortified the wine to ensure safe shipment to his home country.
Grape varieties of Marsala.
Oro/Ambra: Grillo, Ansonica (Inzolia), Catarratto, Damaschino
Rubino: Perricone, Calabrese (Nero d’Avola), and Nerello Mascalese; plus a max. 30% white grapes
Minimum alcohol of Marsala DOC
12% Natural
Fine: 17.5% (after fortification)
Superiore, Vergine, Solera, and Riserva styles: 18% (after fortification)
Minimum RS of Marsala DOC
Secco (Dry): max. 40 g/l
Semisecco (semi-sweet): 40-100 g/l
Dolce (sweet): min. 100 g/l
Aging requirements of Marsala DOC
Fine: Min. 1 year in oak or cherry wood (first 4 months may be in alternative containers)
Superiore: Min. 2 years in oak or cherry wood
Superiore Riserva: Min. 4 years in oak or cherry wood
Vergine/Solera: Min. 5 years in oak or cherry wood
Vergine Riserva/Solera Riserva/Vergine and Solera Stravecchio: Min. 10 years in oak or cherry wood
Climate of Sicily
Mediterranean heat is countered by altitude in the better vineyards, allowing large diurnal swings to even the ripening process.
Beneficial hillside exposures are common on the mountainous island.
White and red grapes indigenous to Sicily.
Catarratto, Inzolia, Grecanico, Carricante, Grillo, Zibibbo, Malvasia, Nero d’Avola, Frappato, Perricone, Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio
Calabrese is also known as this.
Nero d’Avola
What is Sicily most heavily planted grape?
Catarrato
Grape of Alcamo Bianco DOC
Catarrato
Dominant red and white grapes of Etna DOC
Carricante
Nerello Mascalese
What type of soil do the vines of Mount Etna benefit from?
Well drained-volcanil soils
Main grape of Faro DOC
45% - 60% Nerello Mascalese
15% - 30% Nerello Cappuccio
5% - 10% Nocera
Where is Faro DOC
On Sicily’s extreme northeastern coast
Palari is well known in this DOC.
Faro DOC, Sicily
What are the DOCG of Sicily?
Cerasulo di Vittoria DOCG
Grape varieties of Cerasulo di Vittoria DOCG
50-70% Nero d’Avola (Calabrese)
30-50% Frappato
Soils of Cerasulo di Vittoria DOCG
Iron-rich clay over limestone with more sand to the east and south
Grape variety of Noto DOC
Bianco
100% Moscato/Zibibbo
Rosso:
minimum 65% Nero d’Avola
Nero d’Avola:
minimum 85% Nero d’Avola
Styles of Noto DOC
Moscato
Spumante
Liquoroso
Passito
Rosso
Minimum RS of Moscato di Noto Spumante DOC
Moscato di Noto Spumante: 50 g/l
Where are Moscato di Noto and Moscato di Siracusa DOC.
East of Vittoria in southeastern Sicily.
Grape of Siracusa DOC
Moscato
Where is Malvasia delle Lipari DOC located?
Off the northern coast of Sicily
What style of wines are Mavlasia delle Lipari DOC
Liquoroso/Passito
Drying requirements of Malvasia delle Lipari DOC
Malvasia Passito may be labeled “Dolce Naturale” if the yield of the grapes after drying is not greater than 45% of the original volume.
Malvasia Liquoroso requires the yield of the grapes after drying to be no greater than 60% of the original volume.
Where is Pantelleria DOC?
near the African Coast
True or False: Pantelleria is a volcanic island
True