Travel

Colours of Sicily
"Vkus" №5 2006

How shall I start a story about an island which broke off Europe (or Africa?) and became a place of consequent merger of several civilizations?

With geography and nature which pre-determined the way of Sicilian development, or with people whose legacy — from the ancient Greeks to Spanish kings — turned the island into a bright mosaic of cultures? The most fascinating thing is that history of Sicily can be studied through winemaking. It accompanied the island throughout the history and remains to be the jewel of a ’small continent’ that proudly stands among the three seas.

I am standing on Pellegrino mountain and looking at the scattered lights which define the Sicilian capital Palermo and travel further into the night. The ancient Arabs once called this place Conca d’Oro, ’Golden Valley’. They praised fertile lands where orange and lemon trees bore bountiful fruit. Now the valley, as well as all western part of the island is better known for winemaking. The region produces over two thirds of all Sicilian wine.

In order to visit the place where first Sicilian vines appeared, one go to the opposite side of the island in the south-east. Siracusa, an important outpost of the Ancient Greece and the city of Archimedes, is the birthplace of the Sicilian wine. The evidence was found that people of the province were engaged in winemaking long before Christian times. Vines are still cultivated like they were two thousand years ago. Low bushes grow without trellises, thus hiding from scorching sun.

Although Sicily produces more white wines than red, main interest is drawn towards the latter. Climatic conditions of the island help to get grapes with full ripeness. They turn into sturdy, fruity wines which are now at the peak of popularity. Ten-fifteen years ago Sicilian estates preferred to work with international varieties — Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah. The bet was that wines of well known grapes would attract attention to Sicilian winemaking in general. The strategy paid off, and Sicily became a European alternative to the New World offers. But the island’s winemakers went further. Having opened the door of the world market, they recently started to promote wines made from autochthonous varieties. Nero d’Avola is an ambassador among them.

Nero d’Avola, the most popular red grape of Sicily, grows practically in all winemaking zones. It gives intense, velvety wines with typical flavours of mulberries and other black fruit. Like the case with any serious varieties, best examples of Nero d’Avola possess deep structure and complexity and can benefit from aging in oak barrels. It is equally successful on its own and in blends. It is often blended with both local and international varieties. "Nero d’Avola vine can produce up to 10 kg of grapes, but for quality wines we leave the vines short and limit yields to maximum 2 kilos", says Paolo Riccobono of the highly reputable Abbazia Santa Anastasia estate.

The first attempt to glorify Nero d’Avola was taken over 30 years ago. In 1970 an influential winemaking family Tasca d’Almerita created in its Regaleali estate a wine called Rosso del Conte which for decades remained benchmark for wines of this variety. Fortunately, nowadays there are several examples apart from Rosso del Conte which contest the right to be first — Feudo Montoni Vrucara, Duca di Salaparuta Duca Enrico, Planeta Santa Cecilia, Gulfi Nero Bufaleffj and some others. Nero d’Avola potential is finally beginning to open up.

In the east of Sicily, especially on the slopes of Etna, a particular family of Nerello grapes is grown. With careful cultivation vines give grapes which turn into wine with a good aging potential and a bouquet of flowers, tobacco and spices.

Of the Sicilian white varieties, the most exciting are perhaps Inzolia, Carricante and Grillo. Inzolia makes refreshing wines with lovely pear flavours. Carricante is the leading grape of Etna zone, featuring flavours of apples, white flowers and anis. Grillo remains to be the main variety for production of famous fortified Marsala, but it is also made into natural dry wines with bright notes of citruses.

For over two centuries Sicily is known as the land of Marsala which was invented by Englishman John Woodhouse in 1770s. Although the days of its legendary popularity are well behind, Marsala continues to live and compete with the best dessert wines of the world. Two other worthy sweet wines are produced on the islands near Sicily. Moscato di Pantelleria comes from the volcanic island of Pantelleria than lies between Sicily and Tunisia. The wine is made of Zibibbo, or Muscat of Alexandria, grape. According to the legend, the ancient Phoenicians brought is there and dedicated to the goddess of love. Not long ago French actress Carole Bouquet also fell under the spell of Moscato di Pantelleria, bought a vineyard and started wine production. The other wonderful sweet wine with aromas of wild herbs is made on the Aeolian Islands. It is called Malvasia delle Lipari — after the names of the grape variety and the main island of the tiny archipelago.

Sicilian winemaking has long remained in the shade, being content with the role of nameless source that supplied Italy, Europe and Northern Africa with its bulk wines. But the time has come, and a new star appeared on the horizon of world winemaking.