Sicily Flashcards
What is the climate in Sicily?
Is rainfall high or low? What are the implications of this?
Does the region focus more on quality or volume production?
Warm Mediterranean
Low rainfall - irrigation is needed in high production areas
There are large volumes of bulk production as well as some distinctive PDO wines
Give the key characteristics of the Cataratto vine
High yielding
Disease resistant
Give a typical tasting note for a Cataratto wine
Light intensity Lemon and herbal notes High acidity Medium alcohol Inexpensive Acceptable to good
Give the key characteristics of the Grillo vine
High yielding Heat resistant Disease resistant Over exposed bunches lose aroma Must oxidises quickly (needs protective winemaking) Cataratto and Moscato cross
Give a typical tasting note for a Grillo wine
Medium intensity Lemon, floral notes High acidity Full bodied Medium alcohol Good to v. good
Give the key characteristics of the Inzolia vine
Early ripening
Disease resistant
Needs picking early to retain acidity
Give a typical tasting note for an Inzolia wine
Medium (-) intensity Lemon Medium acidity Medium body Acceptable to good Inexpensive to mid priced
Where is Alcamo Bianco DOC?
What is the main grape, and what is the minimum required proportion?
What is the maximum yield?
North west Sicily
60% Cataratto (with other specified varieties, local or international, making up the blend)
84hl/ha
Zibibbo is the local Sicilian name for which grape?
Moscato / Muscat of Alexandria
Give the key characteristics of the Zibibbo vine
Heat resistant
Drought resistant
On which island is Zibibbo most commonly planted?
Explain how Zibibbo vines are often trained here and why
Pantelleria - close to Tunisia
Low bush vines
Planted in holes
Conserve water and protect from winds
Describe the weather conditions in Pantelleria and what types of grapes are best suited
Intense sunlight
Heat
Drying winds
Only drought resistant varieties can cope
What three styles of wine are made in Pantelleria using the Zibibbo grape? Describe the winemaking for each
Dry:
Stainless steel fermentation, early release to retain aromatics
Late harvest:
Picked one week later than grapes for dry wines, stop fermentation early to retain residual sugar
Passito:
Made with semi-dried grapes, traditionally sun dried, wines have high levels of residual sugar
Give a typical tasting note for a Passito wine from Pantelleria, naming the main grape variety
Zibibbo Deep lemon Pronounced intensity Cooked orange, apricot, honey Sweet High alcohol Good to outstanding Premium to super premium
Give the key characteristics of the Nero d’Avola vine
Late ripening (train close to ground to maximise heat)
Vigorous
Can suffer uneven ripening
Susceptible to powdery mildew
Give a typical tasting note for a Nero d’Avola wine
Medium to deep ruby
Red cherry, black plum
Medium to medium (+) acidity
Medium (+) to high tannin
What grapes and in what proportions are permitted in Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG?
What is the maximum permitted yield?
50 to 70% Nero d’Avola
30 to 50% Frappato - adds strawberry and herbal aroma
52hl/ha
Give the key characteristics of the Nerello Mascalese vine
Early budding (spring frost) Late ripening (autumn rain) Prone to coulure Prone to powdery mildew Prone to botrytis
Give a typical tasting note for a Nerello Mascalese wine
Medium to pale ruby Medium intensity Cherry, violet, herbal, earthy High acidity Medium to high tannin Medium alcohol (can be high)
Why is Nerello Mascalese well suited to being grown on the slopes of Mount Etna?
High altitude (600-1000m) Long growing season allows for longer ripening (it is a late ripening varietal) Full development of flavour and tannin while retaining acidity
What grapes and in what proportions are permitted in Etna Rosso DOC?
What is the maximum permitted yield?
What is the minimum ageing requirement for Riserva wines?
Min. 80% Nerello Mascalese, remainder Nerello Cappuccio
56hl/ha
4 years, 1 year in wood
Give a typical tasting note for an Etna Rosso DOC wine
Pale ruby Medium intensity Cherry High acidity Medium (+) to high tannins
What does Nerello Cappuccio add to blends?
Deep colour
Red berry fruits
Give a typical tasting note for a Carricante wine
Medium intensity
Lemon, green apple
High acidity
Medium alcohol
Where is Carricante typically grown in Sicily?
How does this affect the final wine
On the slopes of Mount Etna - It is grown successfully at altitudes of up to 1000m where other black grapes would struggle to ripen
Large diurnal range results in high acidity (MLF is often used to soften this)
What grapes and in what proportions are permitted in Etna Bianco DOC?
Min. 60% Carricante, remainder Cataratto
The best wines are 100% Carricante
What is the maximum yield for Sicilia DOC whites?
What is the maximum yield for Sicilia DOC reds?
Whites: 91hl/ha
Reds: 84hl/ha
What types of wine businesses dominate in Sicily?
A small number of large and influential private companies dominate
e.g. Planeta
Donnafugata
What is the name of the organisation in Sicily that promotes Sicilian wine?
Assovini Sicilia
How many wine businesses are represented by Assovini Sicilia?
What percentage of Sicilian wine by value is represented by this figure
70 wine businesses
80% of Sicilian wine by value
