Southern Italy Wine Touring

I just got back from a very satisfying wine excursion around southern Italy.

A small group of Canadian wine journalists were hustled by car (and in Fiat Pandas around the rocky volcanic island of Pantelleria), bus, train, and plane through Sicily, Campania and Puglia, with a brief stop in Rome. In each region, we were treated to fantastic meals at local restaurants, wineries and resorts — we experienced a real taste of the south. I can see why some people say that you have not really visited Italy until you have been to Sicily.

During the trip we visited four of the region’s key producers: Tasca D’Almerita and Donnafugata in Sicily, Mastroberardino in Campania and Rivera in Puglia. On our winery visits, we tasted a wide range of products, with a focus on indigenous grapes. While the world’s wine drinkers are used to the international varieties like cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay, the most interesting and exciting wines in southern Italy are less well known  — which is unfortunate, because they are often fantastic.

For whites, southern Italy has ansonica, grillo, greco di tufo, inzolia, grecanico, catarratto, malvasia, fiano di avellino, falanghina, coda di volpe del vesuvio, bombino bianco, and zibibbo (which is essentially muscat of Alexandria).

For black grapes, southern Italy has nero d’avola, nerello mascalese, perricone, aglianico, piedirosso, sciascinoso, bombino nero, montepulciano, primitivo and nero di troia.

Italy grows some of the more famous grapes – partly for marketing reasons — and sometimes blends them with traditional grapes. But with all these tasty local grapes to choose from, is it really necessary?

I’d like to highlight some of my favourite wines from the trip. I tasted many excellent wines, including over dinners where I didn’t take detailed notes and from wineries that we didn’t visit. But, I had to narrow it down a bit. Southern Italy is truly a food and wine delight and it was hard to choose.

Tasca d’Almerita, Sicily, Italy

A gorgeous, family-owned estate known for refreshing, high altitude whites, sparklers and reds from traditional varieties, as well as “Super Sicilians” and cabernet sauvignon.

Tasca d’Almerita 2010 Regaleali Bianco

A fresh, mineral, white flower and green apple nose is supported by good acidity and a crisp finish. The perfect seafood wine.

Tasca d’Almerita 2009 Grillo Mozia

A rich, honey and pear nose, with tropical and floral notes and a medium-full body. The wine has great balance and length. Stunning.

Tasca d’Almerita 2009 Nozze D’Oro

Honey, mineral, herbal and creamy notes, with lots of tree fruit and good acidity. This is a great food wine, with plenty of complexity.

Tasca d’Almerita 2006 Almerita Brut

Tasca d’Almerita is well known for its bubbly, for good reason. This is fresh and fruity, with hints of lees, but more soft and creamy than dry and austere, quite unlike Champagne.

Tasca d’Almerita 2008 Tascante

A curious, red apple skin nose, with sour cherry notes, a tart palate and skin tannins evident. It needs food, but this is certainly a unique local grape. Somewhat similar to pinot noir.

Tasca d’Almerita 2009 Lamùri

A fine and elegant nose, with lots of berry and red currant fruit and firm tannins. It has red fruit and mocha notes on the palate, with food-friendly acidity, spicy oak complexity and a grippy, tannic finish.

Tasca d’Almerita 2008 Sallier de la Tour Syrah

Black olive, anise, tar and leather on the nose, with spicy black fruit, a medium-bodied palate, good acidity and firm tannins. A great cool climate syrah.

Tasca d’Almerita 2006 Rosso Del Conte

A Bordeaux-like nose, with pencil shaving, mineral and dried fruit notes. A smooth palate, with red fruit, plum and excellent length. Still young, but drinking nicely right now.

Donnafugata, Sicily, Italy

This family-owned winery has production facilities in Contessa Entellina, Marsala and the fantastic volcanic island of Pantelleria. They have successfully made the transition to modern winemaking, with delicious results.

Donnafugata 2010 Anthìlia

Fresh and floral with mineral and citrus notes. This is a clean and crisp refresher that could benefit from aging.

Donnafugata 2007 Chiarandà

Minerality, freshness and youth on the nose, with subtle oak, apple and pear notes. Good body and balance. I also tried the 2000 vintage, which was rich, creamy and silky textured — like a good, oaked Burgundy.

Donnafugata 2006 Mille e una Notte

Oak, red fruit and savoury tobacco notes, with smooth tannins and loads of fruit on the palate. This wine has ample tannins, but they are long and smooth. I also tasted the 1999, 2003 and 2004 vintages. The 1999 vintage was the best, with aged Bordeaux notes, leather, pepper, dried fruit and dark plum.

Donnafugata 2008 Ben Ryé

This wine is made by drying zibibbo grapes outside, the natural way, on Pantelleria. An exotic and age-worthy dessert wine, with apricot, floral, caramel, orange marmalade and intense raisin flavours. It ages beautifully. The 1999 vintage was rich and nutty with even more orange preserves.

Watch for the next installment of Craig's adventures, featuring tasting notes from two more southern Italian wineries.