Sicily and Sardegna Flashcards
What separates Sicily from Calabria
Strait of Messina
What Italian region produces more wine than Sicily?
Only the Veneto surpasses in volume
Who discovered Marsala
Englishman John Woodhouse - 1773
When did Marsala become DOC?
1969
Producers revitalizing Sicily?
Marco de Bartoli - Marsala
Planeta
Cos
Palari
Climate of Sicily
Arid Mediterranean
Main White grapes of Sicily
- Cataratto (Most planted - 3rd most in Italy but only found here)
- Carricante
- Grecanico
- Inzolia
- Grillo
- Zibibbo (not indigenous) (muscat of Alexandria)
- Malvasia (not indigenous)
Main Red grapes of Sicily
- Nero d’Avola (Calabrese) - most planted red grape
- Frappato
- Perricone
- Nerello Mascalese
- Nerello Cappuccio
Most planted grape in Sicily?
Catarratto - used for Marsala blends and grape concentrate, distillation in Alcamo Bianco DOC
3rd most cultivated in Italy, but only found in Sicily
Main grapes of Etna DOC?
Carricante - white
Nerello Mascalese - red
well drained, volcanic soil
Main grapes and features of Faro DOC?
Notable producer?
Extreme northern coast of Sicily
Nerello Mascalese
Palari notable producer
DOCG of Sicily, main grapes
Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG (2005)
- Nero d’Avola with 30-50% Frappato blended in
- Normale or Classico
- limited maceration to retain “cherry-red” color
Is Marsala a DOCG?
No - DOC
What grapes might you find in a sweet wine from Sicily?
Moscato/Zibbibo, Malvasia
Name two DOCs for sweet wine of Sicily
Moscato di Noto
Moscato di Siracusa
Malvasia delle Lipari
Moscato di Pentelleria
When is Marsala fortified?
during or after fermentation, depending on required sweetness level
How do you add color and sweetness in marsala
add either
Mosto cotto - cooked must
sifone - mistelle from fortified unfermented must of overripe grapes
mosto cotto can only be added to ambra style
Process used to make Marsala
In perpetuum - similar to solera
Three styles (colors) of Marsala
Ambra - from white grapes
Oro - from white grapes
Rubino - from red grapes
White grapes used in Marsala
Gillo, Catarratto, Inzolio (Ansonica), Damaschino
used for ambra and oro styles
Red grapes used in Marsala
Perricone, Calabrese (Nero d’Avola), Nerello Mascalese
used for rubino styl
Sugar indication on Marsala bottles?
Secco - max 40 g/l RS
Semi-secco - 41 to 100 g/l RS
Dolce - min 100 g/l R
Marsala aging requirements
Fine, - 1 year in cask (17%abv)
Superiore, - 2 years in cask (18%abv)
Superiore Riserva - 4 years in cask (18%abv)
Vergine - 5 yr in cask (18%abv)
Vergine Stravecchio. / Soleras Riserva– min of 10 yr in cask
Where is Sardegna located?
Just south of Corsica in Tyrrhenian sea
