Sicily (Sicilia) Flashcards
Sicily
Most planted grape
Cataratto
- 3rd most cultivated grape in Italy, despite only vineyards in Western Sicily
Who is credited with the discovery of Marsala?
John Woodhouse
- Englishman
- Discovered on Sicily’s western edge
- 1773, first to fortify to ensure safe shipment to his home country
Marsala
- Styles
- Grapes
-
Oro/Ambra:
- Grillo, Ansonica (Inzolia), Catarratto, Damaschino
-
Rubino:
- Perricone, Calabrese (Nero d’Avola), Nerello Mascalese
- max. 30% white grapes
Malvasia delle Liparia DOC
- Location
- Styles
- Grapes
Malvasia delle Lipari DOC
- Small group of islands off the northern coast of Sicily
- Bianco, Passito, Liquoroso
Narrow waterway that separates Sicily from Calabria
Straight of Messina
Sicily
Producers that have led the resurgence of higher quality / lower yields in recent years
- Marco de Bartoli (Marsala)
- Planeta
- Palari
- COS
Faro DOC
- Location
- Style
- Grapes
- Sicily’s extreme NE coast
-
Rosso only
- 45-60 Nerello Mascalese
- 15-30 Nerello Cappuccio
- 5-10 Nocera
- max 15, alone or comb, Calabrese (Nero d’Avola), Gaglioppo (Montonico Nero), Sangiovese
Marsala
Sweetness levels
- Secco: max. 40 g/l rs
- Semisecco: 40-100 g/l rs
- Dolce: min. 100 g/l rs
Sicily
Major white grapes
- Cattaratto
- Carricante
- Inzolia (Ansonica)
- Grillo
- Grecanico
- Zibbibo
Zibbibo synonym
Muscat of Alexandria
Nero d’Avola synonym
Calabrese
Sicily
Most planted red grape
Nero d’Avola
Sicily
Sole DOCG
Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG
- Normale and Classico
Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG
Grapes
- 50-70% Nero d’Avola
- 30-50% Frappato
Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG
Soils
Iron-rich clay over limestone
DOC contiguous with Cerasuolo di Vittoria
Vittoria
- Rosso: 50-70% Nero d’Avola, 30-50% Frappato
- Novello: 80% Nero d’Avola and Frappato
- Varietal: Calabrese, Frappato, Ansonica (Inzolia)
Sicily
Sweet wine DOCs
- Moscato di Noto DOC
- Moscato di Siracusa DOC (SE; east of Vittoria)**
- Malvasia delle Lipari DOC (N; off the coast)
- Moscato di Pantelleria DOC
- Passito di Pantelleria DOC (SW; off the coast)
Etna DOC
Styles
- Bianco: 60% Carricante, + Catarratto Bianco Comune, Catarratto Bianco Lucido, +
- Bianco Superiore: 80% Carricante, +
- Rosato/Rosso/Riserva: 80% Nerello Mascalese, plus Nerello Mantellato, +
- Spumante: rosato or bianco, 60% Nerello Mascalese, +
Etna Rosso Riserva aging
- 4 yrs, 1 yr wood
Etna Spumante aging
- Metodo Classico
- 18 mos on the lees
Besides Etna, another DOC based on Nerello Mascalese
Faro DOC
- Rosso only
- 45-60% Nerello Mascalese, 15-30% Nerello Mantellato, 4-10% Nocera
Sicily
DOC that covers the island
Sicilia DOC
Hottest, driest region of Italy
Sicily
Political event that created the original demand for Marsala
The War of the Spanish Succession
(England v. France)
Sicily’s other major grape-derived product
Concentrated grape musts, made by vacuum-evaporating or cooking down unfermented juice
latifondo
- System of land ownership in Italy
- Overturned by the Agrarian reforms of the 1950’s
mezzadria
Sharecropping
More prevalent in the NORTH than the south of ITALY
Two biggest wine producers in the latter part of the 20th century (accounting for nearly all production other than Marsala)
- Corvo-Duca di Salaparuta
- Conte Tasca d’Almerita / Regaleali
Where is Marsala, what style of wines are produced?
The western end of Sicily
Fortified, often sweet, maybe dry
What are the indigenous white grapes of Sicily?
Cattarratto
Carricante
Inzolia
Grillo
Grecanico
Zibbobo
What are the indigenous red grapes of Sicily?
Nero d’Avola (Calabrese)
Nerello Mascalese
Nerello Cappuccio (Manatello)
Frappato
Perricone
Zibbobo is a synonym for:
Muscat of Alexandria
Synonym for Nero d’Avola?
Calabrese
What is Sicily’s most-planted red grape?
Nero d’Avola
What’s the sole DOCG of Sicily?
Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG
Normale & Classico
50-70% Nero d’Avola (Calabrese)
30-50% Frappato
What are the different aging requirements between Cerasuolo di Vittoria Normale and Classico?
Cerasuolo di Vittoria: May not be sold until June 1 of the year following the harvest
Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico: May not be sold until March 31 of the second year following the harvest
What are the soils of Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG?
Iron-rich clay over limestone
What DOC is contiguous with Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG?
Vittoria DOC
Rosso
50% - 70% Calabrese
30% - 50% Frappato
Novello
min 80% Calabrese (Nero d’Avola) and/or Frappato
maximum 20% other black grapes
Varietal wine: Calabrese (Nero d’Avola)
Frappato
Ansonica (Insolia/Inzolia)
minimum 85% of the stated varietal
maximum 15% other grapes of the same color suitable for cultivation in Sicilia
What are the sweet wine DOC’s of Sicily?
- Moscato di Noto DOC
- Moscato di Siracusa DOC (southeast; east of Vittoria)
- Malvasia delle Lipari DOC (off the coast, to the north)
- Moscato di Pantelleria DOC
- Passito di Pantelleria DOC (off the coast, southwest)
Pantelleria: Denominazione
Moscato/Moscato Spumante/Moscato Dorato: 250g/L must weight, 100 g/L RS, fortified
Moscato Liquoroso
Passito Liquoroso
Passito
Zibbibo Dolce: frizzante (min 1.7 atmospheres)
Bianco/Frizzante: 85% Zibibbo [all others are 100%]
*Passito is not allowed for wines labeled Moscato
Etna DOC: Styles
Bianco: 60% Carricante, plus Catarratto Bianco Comune, Catarratto Bianco Lucido, plus
Bianco Superiore: 80% Carricante, plus
Rosato/Rosso/Riserva: 80% Nerello Mascalese, plus Nerello Mantellato, plus
Spumante: rosato or bianco, 60% Nerello Mascalese, plus
Etna Rosso Riserva aging:
48mos from 11/1, 12mos in wood
Etna Spumante aging:
Metodo Classico
18mos on the lees
What other DOC is based on Nerello Mascalese?
Faro DOC
Rosso only
45-60% Nerello Mascalese
15-30% Nerello Mantellato
4-10% Nocera
Which DOC covers the island of Sicily?
Sicilia DOC
What is the hottest, driest region of Italy?
Sicily
What political event created the original demand for Marsala?
The War of the Spanish Succession (England v. France)
What is Sicily’s other major grape-derived product?
Mosto Cotto Concentrated grape musts, made by vacuum-evaporating or cooking down unfermented juice.
What is latifondo?
The system of land ownership in Italy, overturned by the Agrarian reforms of the 1950’s.
What were the two biggest wine producers in Sicily in the latter part of the 20th century (accounting for nearly all production other than Marsala)?
Corvo-Duca di Salaparuta
Conte Tasca d’Almerita / Regaleali
Cataratto makes up what percentage of Sicily’s 330,000 acres?
60%