A promising grape harvest for Italy this year

According to Bloomberg.com, Italy’s wine-grape growers expect a good harvest this fall, with the northern Piedmont and Trentino regions poised to produce an “excellent” crop, a study showed.

Overall, Italy will produce about 46.5 million hectoliters (1.2 billion gallons) of wine, around the same level as 2009, according to Rome-based growers’ lobby Confagricoltura. Northern regions will see a 4.3 percent increase in output, compared with a 0.3 percent gain in the south.

“The 2010 harvest will be a good year in terms of quantity and quality,” Confagricoltura said in an e-mailed release today. While weather changes could still affect crops this month, “both climactic conditions and signs from the vineyards allow us to be optimistic about the quality of the new wines.”

The best harvests will probably be in Piedmont, Umbria and Trentino, according to the release. The northwestern region of Piedmont, which produces some of Italy’s best-known wines such as Barolo, is set to increase output by 10 percent from 2009.

The central Tuscany region, famous for Chianti red wine, will have a “good to excellent harvest,” as will southern areas such as Puglia and Sicily, Confagricoltura said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Jeffrey Donovan in Rome at jdonovan26@bloomberg.net

Another great event attends wine lovers in Sicily: Avvinando 2010

May 23, 2010 7:00 pm

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May 26, 2010 12:00 am

The Fifth edition of the wine event “Avvinando 2010” will take place in Palermo in the charming setting of Villa Boscogrande in Palermo on May 23-24. 100 producers will showcase their products including over 600 labels of high-profile wines produced in Italy. Avvinando 2010 is an event dedicated to wine experts, but also to enthusiasts. The event offers visitors the opportunity to taste a great variety of wines, each with its historical and cultural background, an event that allows wine lovers to spend two days in close contact with producers and experts.

The exclusive location, Villa Boscogrande, is a historic building built in the eighteenth century by the San Martino family, made famous to the public by the opening scenes of the famous film “The Leopard” by Luchino Visconti. Visitors are welcomed in the beautiful garden in front of the impressive staircase, leading to the first floor where beautifully decorated halls and ballrooms host the exhibitors. It is a truly elegant and aristocratic atmosphere.

As per tradition during the event, four parallel workshops are organized reserved to 30 participants:

- “Le Grandeur du Perlage” on May 23 at 5PM;
- “Six Major Wine Regions and Six Legendary Red Wines” on May 23 at 7 PM;
- “Spirits and Cigars” on May 24 at 7:30 PM.
- “De Aetna, the Magic of a Terroir” on May 25 at 5 PM.

Entrance tickets to the event are available at the best wineshops of Palermo and its province.For more information, visit www.avvinando.it.

By Maria Lina Bommarito

Sicilian wines: success stories

Sicilian wines keep building their reputation. We have two stories to be proud of this week. One is about the Caruso & Minini, Sicilia IGT, Terre di Giumara, Inzolia 2008 named wine of the week. The other is about Sicilian wine being exported to India.

1

Leave it to the Italians to present yet another grape variety you never heard of. Inzolia is a white grape found primarily in Sicily, where it used to be grown for the blend of the fortified wine Marsala. It is finding its way quite successfully as a dry varietal wine, like this tasty warm-weather libation with light floral, almond and lemon-lime aromas and flavors and vibrant acidity. It is light-bodied, fresh and lively, perfect for pasta salad or shellfish.

Terre di Giumara is the name of the estate where the grapes were grown. The property was acquired by Antonino Caruso at the end of 1800s. It has proven to be a wise choice for growing quality grapes.

The current Caruso generation, with Stefano in the lead, realized a dream of being able to use the grapes they were growing to make their own wines. He created a partnership with Mario Minini to build a winery in Marsala, and so the Caruso & Minini name was born.

2

Which Italian wines go best with Indian food? More specifically, which Sicilian wines “amplify” Bengali cuisine?

The exacting and exciting quest to match various Indian recipes with just the right Italian wine has brought Michelin-starred chefs and senior executives of four of London’s most upmarket Indian restaurants — the Bombay Brasserie, Tamarind, Quilon and Zaika — to Planeta, one of Sicily’s most distinguished vineyards.

The estate covers 1,000 hectares and contains five wineries that produce a range of 14 red, white and Rose wines, plus 100,000 litres annually of olive oil.

The head of the family-owned business is 70-year-old Diego Planeta, who has developed a taste for Indian vegetarian food following numerous trips to the country since his first in 1970.

“The family history goes back to 1510,” said Diego, who has been evaluating wines himself for over 50 years. “My generation is number 18.”

“Wine in Sicily is like dal in India,” he said. “Can you imagine India without dal?”

Diego gave the thumbs-up after tasting a number of typically Bengali items made for him by Saikat Nag, 30, executive sous-chef at the Bombay Brasserie.

“I can’t believe this is potato!” murmured Diego when Nag disclosed the mystery of the humble aloo bhaja.

“I like them all,” Diego continued, as he had several helpings of ladies’ fingers, along with Basmati rice, begun bhaja, gota masoor dal, Red Snapper machher jhol (which, Nag said, is, like rui, “part of the carp family”), and tomator chutney containing kishmish.

Diego experimented with two of his white wines — Alastro and Cometa — but surprisingly settled for Cerasuolo Di Vittoria, “a light red” he drank slightly chilled.

More at www.telegraphindia.com

Wine Spectator’s growing interest in Sicilian wines

By Dana Nigro

During a recent Italian wine kick, my husband and I opened two different Nero d’Avolas, both from the same vintage, for two different meals. This grape, native to Sicily, is one of the most widely planted red varieties on this arid, volcanic island. The quality of Nero d’Avola has been improving as producers there work on figuring out the best clones, sites and soils, and my colleague James Suckling believes it has the potential to make great wines—structured, complex and full of distinctive character. While the grape stands on its own, many producers blend it with international varieties, such as Syrah, which also do well in Sicily’s hot climate.

The first we tried was the Morgante Nero d’Avola Sicilia 2006, served one night with lamb with rosemary in a tomato sauce over rigatoni. A mouthful of pure plum and blackberry fruit, the wine’s fresh acidity stood up to the tomato sauce, while the finish echoed the dish’s dash of oregano and sage with savory, herbal notes of its own. Sourced from hillside vineyards in southern Sicily’s Agrigento province, the wine is vinified in stainless-steel tanks and spends only three months maturing in oak.

A few nights later, eager to explore another style of Nero d’Avola, we opened the Firriato Sicilia Santagostino Baglio Soria 2006 with a pizza topped with sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms and olives. A blend of 50 percent Syrah that spends about eight months in oak barrels, this version comes from the Trapani area in the northwest corner of the island. It was also marked by Nero d’Avola’s characteristic high acidity—indeed the finish was mouth-tingling—but the bright, high-toned berry and plum fruit was mingled with a pleasant mix of lightly earthy and mineral flavors and a big dash of the black pepper for which Syrah is known. Great with the pizza, it also would have been a fine match for a more sophisticated meal.

Distinctively different, both wines were 90 points for me, non-blind. The Morgante is a great value (only $17 when I bought it in 2008) while the Firriato (which I found on sale for $21) has greater production and wider availability, thereby earning it a spot on our Top 100 of 2008. Either one makes a great introduction to this unique Italian grape.

Source: WineSpectator.com

Thomas Matthews of Wine Spectator on Frank Cornelissen’s Munjebel 5 Rosso

Ever since I read Matt Kramer’s essay on Frank Cornelissen (in his Drinking Out Loud column on WineSpectator.com), I’ve wanted to try one of his wines. But they aren’t easy to find.

Cornelissen, who makes wine from vineyards on Mt. Etna in Sicily, is a member of what Matt calls the “Crazy Club,” winemakers who are “pushing the boundaries of conventional wine-growing way beyond what’s considered normal.” Not always my cup of tea, but then, I’m curious about every corner of the wine world.

Recently, I found Cornelissen’s Munjebel 5 Rosso on the wine list for $130 at Convivio in Manhattan’s Tudor City and convinced my dining companions to splurge. The sommelier, Levi Dalton, was enthusiastic, but also a bit wary. “I’ll serve it cool,” he said. “It will throw some sediment, but I wouldn’t advise decanting. It’s inconsistent and unstable. In 20 minutes, it may be gone.”

The wine is a red made from Nerello Mascalese, one-third from the 2007 vintage and two-thirds from 2008 (according to Matt). It was a light, rusty red in color and a bit hazy; indeed, sediment floated even in the early pours. It offered expressive aromas and flavors of tart cherry and bitter herbs in a light, silky texture, with tart acidity and light, firm tannins. It was distinctive, though not mind-bogglingly unusual, reminding me of Ploussard in Arbois, or even Dolcetto from Piedmont. It had a stony purity, and held up nicely as we drank it with salumi and olives. I rated it 86 points, non-blind.

Source: WineSpectator.com

Vinitaly and a bottle of Marsala 1925 to President Giorgio Napolitano

More than 150.000 visitors have participated to one of the most important wine fairs of the world. This year Vinitaly was at its 44th edition and showcased 4,213 exhibitors from Italy and other countries .

For the first time in Vinitaly’s history, the Italian president Giorgio Napolitano visited the trade-show. During his tour, the President stopped by the stands of three regions: Veneto (Northern Italy), Sicily and Campania, his native region.

The president praised the importance of wine as the emblem of the country’s diversity and unity. Wine together with other regional products can be considered fundamentally cultural heritage.

At the Sicilian Region stand, the President showed his appreciation for Sicilian wines and received a very particular gift: a precious bottle of Marsala – Riserve dated 1925, the year of his birth.

By Maria Lina Bommarito

Palermo plays host to the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles

April 23, 2010 11:00 am

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April 24, 2010 7:00 pm

This weekend the wine world’s reflectors will be pointed on Sicily. From April 23 to 25, Palermo will host the prestigious Concours Mondial de Bruxelles. Since its first edition in Belgium in 1994, the Concours Mondial has obtained great success.

In order to position the contest internationally, it was decided to let it go beyond its borders. In 2006 the organizing committee chose Lisbon for this première occasion. Then Maastricht, Bordeaux and Valencia followed.

Ezio Rivella, former president of the International Union of Enologists and Committee of Denominazione di Origine of Italy, affirms that the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles has become one of the foremost authorities among the best international competitions.

The contest organizers are already in Palermo to prepare the tastings, supported by the technical team of the “Istituto Regionale della Vite e del Vino” (the Regional Institute of Grapes and Wine). More than 270 judges, all prestigious wine experts, are arriving from 40 different countries to examine and evaluate about 7,000 labels of the world’s best wines and liqueurs.
In the last edition held in Valencia, Sicily was the Italian Region that obtained the highest number of awards, validating the island’s growing trend towards the production of quality wines.

By Maria Lina Bommarito

Map:

Sant’Erasmo, ex deposito ferroviario

A slow cooking week in Sicily with Renée Restivo

The dream of visiting lesser known hill towns and fishing villages of Sicily, of tasting the Mediterranean’s best ingredients and feeling the sun; of tastes of Southern Italian wines, fresh pressed olive oil, the world-famous dolci Siciliani, the seafood, the vegetables that grow year-round on Italy’s garden of Eden. Enjoy relaxing meals overlooking the countryside, learn secrets of the Sicilian home cook, that you will take back with you and cherish forever. This is not a trip about checking monuments off your list or “packing it all in” in one week. Instead, this is a slow cooking week, filled with good company of Sicilians, of learning how they eat and live, understanding their philosophy and a having the rare chance to be a part of their daily lives.

La cucina siciliana

Learn the art of home made sfincione –Sicilian style pizza, of tomato recipes from Sicily’s home kitchens, the philosophy of a master pastry chef, taste wild fennel, herbs, pasta fatta in casa (home made pasta), almond pudding, soups, meatballs with sweet and sour sauce, seafood, vegetables, and fresh warm just-made ricotta. Enjoy a market visit, wine and cheese tasting, chocolate tasting and olive oil lesson!

The Villa & Noto

The villa and home cooking lessons are located in the countryside, just 5 minutes from the Baroque jewel of Noto — a UNESCO world heritage town. The villa is located in the countryside in the province of Siracusa, which is the Southeastern most of Sicily’s nine provinces and in our opinion, the most diverse gastronomically. Siracusa has mountains, sea, fishing villages, and Noto’s agricultural zone grows Italy’s sweetest almonds, lemons, oranges and more.

This area of Sicily is known for its incredible untouched landscape — unlike any other in Italy. The dry stone walls (made by hand by Sicilian artisans) are found throughout the countryside and surround the villa. An ancient olive grove, herb garden, citrus trees and terrazzo make the villa a true paradise. Of all the places Renée has seen in Italy, over all the years — this is truly her favorite! This is the perfect base for touring Southeastern Sicily. We are just 20 minutes from Siracusa and about an hour from Ragusa and Modica and an hour and a half from Etna.

After offering many unforgettable and unique group cooking lessons over the past fews years to many satisfied guests, we have decided that it is time for our even bigger project — our home cooking association. Renée Restivo has spent many years researching the food of Sicily, and she continues to document the culinary traditions and rituals connected to the countryside that are only found here in the Southeastern corner of Sicily. The villa was the historic home of a Sicilian writer and the meeting place of painters, photographers and writers and is now owned by the family that Renée collaborates with. The view from the villa looks out over Noto and the extreme southeast edge of Europe. Immersed in nature, this villa is surrounded by about 200 olive trees and overlooks land where ancient olive trees that are from 800 to 1700 years old have their home in Sicily.

For more information about this tour and prices, please visit SoulofSicily.com

Sicily’s Planeta develops abandoned vineyards, hopes to recreate ancient Roman blend

What would Julius Caesar drink? Planeta, one of Sicily’s best-known wineries, plans to produce a wine that might have been the Roman emperor’s favorite. The wine will come from vineyards in the little-known appellation of Mamertino in the northeastern part of the island that Planeta recently leased.

In Roman times, Mamertino was reputed to produce one of Sicily’s top wines, a red Caesar ordered for feasts. The winery is currently collaborating on a research project with Attilio Scienza, a professor of viticulture from the University of Milan. Their goal is to discover the forgotten indigenous grape variety that was blended with Nocera grapes to produce Mamertino. They hope to get as close as possible to the original blend that Caesar used to drink.

“If all goes well we will start replanting the currently abandoned 7 hectares [17 acres] of vineyards next winter, with our first vintage planned for 2015,” said vintner Francesca Planeta. They hope to make the preferred red of the ancient emperor and then present it to the official appellation governing body of the region to have it accepted into the DOC Mamertino classification.

If all goes well, Planeta said that they would build a small winery in the town of Capo Milazzo and produce about 30,000 bottles each year. “Of course, we can’t make the wine exactly as Julius Caesar drank because we use modern methodology,” she said. “It will be as close as possible to the same red, but not oxidized.”

Source Wine Spectator

Charles Scicolone in Sicily

As I entered the large shower at La Foresteria the hotel/resort owned by the Planeta winery www.planetaestates.com I saw not one but three shower heads. One large one, which cascaded the water from above and two hand held ones in a slim cylinder shape, not to mention the very large tub and plenty of bubble bath– there was enough water pressure and the water was always hot. I was in heaven. This is a very comfortable first rate resort and I wish we could have stayed longer. Sicily has become a tourist’s paradise.

Sicilian has also become a wine lover’s paradise. I tasted wines made from Fiano, Carricante, Nero d’Avola and Nerello Mascalese gapes that reflected the terroir of Sicily and could have held their own against any wines in the world. Sicily is no longer the California of Italy making only oaky, jammy, international style wines!

I visited Sicily in March for the “Sicilia En Primeur”, a preview of the current releases and much more. The event is held annually in different parts of Sicily. This year it was in the Province of Agrigento at the Rocco Forte Verdura Golf & Spa Resort of Sciacca. Once again, I could not believe my eyes. I had never seen a resort of this size in Sicily! It could have been a resort in Las Vegas or Arizona.

The event was organized by Assovini Sicilia, an association of Sicilian grape grows and producers. The president of the organization is Diego Planeta of the Planeta winery.

The first night we stayed at La Foresteria, the new Planeta resort. That night we had a dinner based on the novel Gattopardo (the Leopard) by Lampedusa. The dinner was prepared by the resident chef, Angelo Pumilia. The food was great and the highlight was a Timballo in Crosta del Gattopardo, which was delicious. Representatives from the wineries that we would visit the next day were there and they matched one of their wines with each course.

The journalists were divided into eight groups to visit different wineries on different parts of the Island. I was in the Terre Sicane group of wineries and since Planeta was one of the wineries, I spent the first night at La Foresteria.

More at Charles Scicolone Blog

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