Sicily Flashcards
Why is much of Sicily ideal for organic viticulture?
The climate is very dry and very little spraying is necessary.
In the mid 1990s Sicily competed with what other region in Italy as the country’s most productive wine region?
Puglia
What is Sicily’s wine focus now in the 21st century?
Quality over quantity using more indigenous varieties that imports.
What red grape is responsible for Sicily’s reputation for quality wine? What is
Nero d’Avola
What three DOCs in the southeast of Sicily around Avola make red wines largely from Nero d’Avola?
Eloro DOC
Noto DOC
Siracusa DOC
Eloro “Pachino” must contain what min % of Nero d’Avola? What other grapes make up the blend?
Min 80% Nero d’Avola
Max 20% Frappato and/or Pignatello
What is Sicily’s only DOCG and what are the grape requirements? Min alcohol?
Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG
50-70% Nero d’Avola (Calabrese)
30-50% Frappato
13% min alcohol
What is the star red grape found on the slopes of Mt. Etna? Up to what altitude can it grow?
Nerello Mascalese
3300ft (1,000m)
Why has Mt. Etna become a magnet for terroir-minded wine producers?
Due to its rich mix of different altitudes and exposures and densely planted centenarian vines sprouting from soils that include congealed magma.
Who is responsible for re-igniting Etna’s wine reputation while working with the long-established Benanti family? What label does he bottle his wines under? Where on Etna does he bottle wines from?
Salvo Foti
Bottles wines under the label “I Vigneri”
Easter slopes
Who makes Rosso del Conte? What’s significant about this wine? What is the name of the vineyard that this wine comes from? Grapes? How is it produced? Aged?
Tasca d’Almerita
Was the first serious Sicilian red of the modern era
Comes from Vigna San Lucio
made from mostly old bush-trained Nero d’Avola, Perricone, and other Sicilian grapes.
Stainless steel fermentation and aged for 18 months in Allier and Tronçais barriques.
What DOC does Rosso del Conte bottle under?
Contea di Sclafini DOC
What US wine importer is credited with an increase in interest in Sicilian wine?
Marc de Grazia
What is the ultra naturalist wine maker form Belgium who uses no sulphur in his wines that makes wine in Sicily?
Frank Cornelissen
What is the grape most commonly blended with Nerrello Mascalese that’s considered to produce softer wines?
Nerello Cappuccio
Faro DOC is on the far northeastern end of the island is created by a blend of what three red grapes primarily? What other grapes may be blended in?
Nerello Mascalese (45-60%) Nerello Cappuccio (15-30%) Nocera (5-10%)
Max 15% alone or combined Sangiovese, Calabrese (Nero d’Avola), Gaglioppo (Montonico Nero)
What does Faro mean?
Lighthouse
What is the synonym often encountered for Nero d’Avola in Sicily?
Calabrese
What is the star white grape of Etna known for producing crisp wines?
Carricante
Who makes Pietramarina? What is the grape? What is the DOC?
Benanti
100% Bush-trained Carricante
Etna DOC Bianco Superiore
What is the name for free standing “bush-trained” in reference to vine training in Sicily?
alberello
Carricante is the star grape of the eastern part of the island. What is the star workhorse grape of the western part? What are the other two major white grapes often blended or produced varietally?
Catarratto
Inzolia (Ansonica) and Grillo
What is the distant cousin of cream sherry produced around the town of Trapani?
Marsala
What are the three styles of Marsala produced? What are the grapes allowed in each?
Oro
Ambra
Rubino
Oro/Ambra:
Primary: Grillo, Ansonica (Inzolia)
Secondary:Catarratto, Damaschino
Rubino: Perricone, Calabrese (Nero d’Avola), and Nerello Mascalese with up to 30% white grapes
What are the three RS designations for Marsala and what are there g/L values?
Secco: max 40g/L
Semisecco: 40-100g/L
Dolce: 100g/L
What are the 5 aging designations for Marsala in order from least to most in regards to time aging prior to release? What are the min alcohol requirements after fortification for each?
Fine Superiore Superiore Riserva Vergine/Solera Vergine Riserva/Solera Riserva/Vergine and Solera Stravecchio
17% abv for Fine
18% abv for the rest
What are the two authorized aging vessels for Marsala?
Oak or Cherry Wood
What does the term “Vecchio” indicate on a bottle of Marsala?
That the wine has met the minimum requirements for Marsala Superiore which are min 18% abv after fortification and min 2 years aging in oak or cherry wood
If seen on a bottle of Marsala, what do the following abbreviations stand for?
IP
SOM
GD
LP
IP: Italy Particular
SOM: Superior Old Marsala
GD: Garibaldi Dolce
LP: London Particular
What style of Marsala must include min 1% mosto cotto? What styles forbid the addition of mosto cotto (concia)?
Ambra must include a min 1%
Oro and Rubino may not include mosto cotto
What is mosto cotto?
cooked grape juice
What does Vergine on a bottle of Marsala indicate?
It has not been sweetened and it has seen a minimum of 5 years of aging in oak or cherry wood.
What are the two agents used for sweetening wines in Marsala?
Mosto cotto (cooked grape must) Sifone (mistelle created by fortifying the unfermented grape must of overripe grapes)
What is the addition of mosto cotto to sweeten Marsala called?
Concia
What is the system called that is similar to the sherry solera system that’s used to produce Marsala?
In perpetuum
Name three producers of Marsala
Marco De Bartoli
Donnafugata
Cantine Florio
What are three DOCs for Moscato? Which are made from Muscat Blanc and which is made from Muscat of Alexandria?
Muscat Blanc
Noto DOC “Moscato di Noto”
Siracusa DOC “Moscato di Siracusa”
Muscat of Alexandria
Pantelleria DOC “Moscato di Pantelleria”