Sicily surprises

Sicilian wines have come on in leaps and bounds. Look out for them and try a crisp, dry white, or an elegant red

SICILY IS AN island full of surprises. That may sound like a slogan from a holiday brochure, but, as far as the wines are concerned, it is true. On a Mediterranean island, you would expect thumping great big reds and little else. These you will certainly find, but 60 per cent of vines on Sicily are white. And they don’t make big alcoholic whites wines either; there is a huge range of refreshing, crisp, dry wines, perfect to accompany the seafood dishes that the Sicilians adore. Even the reds provide plenty of choice. Along with the blockbusters, there are plenty of beautifully balanced, elegant wines produced from the cooler mountainous vineyards.

For many years, Sicily was always relegated to a last page or two of any Italian wine book. Yet it produces more wine than any other region in Italy, twice as much as Tuscany, and the same as Chile and South Africa. In the past, most of it was sent off to provide juice for Martini and various other vermouths, or left the island in tankers to add backbone to the lighter wines of the north of Italy. The rest was distilled into industrial alcohol.

Most of the wine is still fairly basic, but there is a fresh wind running through Sicilian wines. International grape varieties are there, but in recent years it is the local grapes, along with a few that have sneaked across from neighbouring Campania, that are causing a real stir.

Sicily has been ruled by virtually everyone, from the Greeks, Romans Arabs, French and Spanish. It has a viticulture dating back over 4,000 years, so it should not surprise us that they have some of their own very good indigenous grape varieties, capable of taking on the rest of the world.

Benanti

The Benanti vines grow high up on the slopes of snow-capped Mount Etna. This is certainly not warm-climate viticulture, and the wines show it. “Our wines have the freshness of the mountains, and the power of the sun,” I was told by Mariangela Cambria of the neighbouring Cottanera winery.

The soils are black, rich in tufa, volcanic ash and potassium. The vines are planted at heights of up to 1,000m. There are huge fluctuations in day and night-time temperatures, very high luminosity, all factors that help create wines with vivid flavours. The Etna region produced huge amounts of wine in the second half of the 19th century, but production dwindled in the 20th century. It is only in the past decade that it has come back to some sort of prominence locally and nationally.

The winery was set up in 1988 by Dr Giuseppe Benanti, although the vineyards have been there since 1474. The owner of a large chemical company, he dreamt of recreating the ancient wines of the Etna region. Using a range of grape varieties unique to Etna, he has fashioned a series of very different wines, full of minerals and dark fruits. Neither red nor white wines are released until their fourth year.

Planeta

The Planeta family has been one of the prime moving forces in Sicily over the past decade. As well as running the massive, highly successful Settesoli co-operative, they founded their own winery, and have gained a enviable reputation worldwide for their wines. They produce excellent Chardonnay and Syrah, largely using international grapes, but their “local” wines are well worth trying, too.

Arancio

Arancio is a very large 650-hectare estate owned by the Mezzacorona winery in Alto-Adige, in the far north of Italy. The winery is three kilometres from the eastern seashore, giving the wines an attractive lightness. A relatively new venture, this winery shows great promise. The range which includes both local and international varieties, are very well-made, and reasonably priced, too.

COS

It does not take long for visitors to COS to realise that there is an architect at work there. In fact, it was three architects, now just two, who set up COS “as a sort of a joke” in 1980. The winery is achingly hip, with perfectly distressed walls, and minimalist fittings. You can imagine Giusto Occipinti and Giambattista Cilia having long animated discussions before they select a new door hinge.

But the wines are the really important thing here. Back in 1980, the architects wanted to make wine in exactly the same way as centuries before, using ancient grape varieties and local grapes. In both they have succeeded admirably.

The vines are now farmed biodynamically, and the wines are made almost without sulphur. Half of the wine is made in large clay amphora set into the ground in the winery. They are bottled unfiltered. “Our wines are a history of our lands, and they talk about us,” says Giusto.

They are certainly different, wines with complex aromas and flavours that you will find in very few other wines. I find them fascinating and really enjoyable.

jwilson@irishtimes.com

WINES OF THE WEEK

Arancio Nero d’Avola 2007, 13.5%, €12.50. This is one of the lighter breed of Nera d’Avola, one the many promising grape varieties of Sicily. Plump, easy, ripe savoury fruits, no real tannins and a smooth finish. Very good value, showing real varietal character, too. An all-purpose red to partner most medium-bodied meat and cheese dishes. Stockists: Mitchells@CHQ, IFSC, Dublin 1, Glasthule, and Grange Road Rathfarnham; Cases Wine Warehouse, Galway and Red Island Wine, Skerries.

COS Cerasuolo di Vittoria, 2006, 13.5%, €22.50. The Cerausolo is made from a blend of 60 per cent Nero d’Avola, and 40 per cent Frappato di Vittoria, a local grape that produces lovely light fragrant wines. A pale colour, an alluring fragrant strawberry nose, leading on to some soft, warming, red cherry and strawberry fruits, a distinctive earthiness and an easy, smooth finish. Stockists: Market 57, Westport; Mount Gable Gifts, Clonbur, Co Galway;

No. 1 Pery Square, Limerick (www.oneperysquare.com); On The Grapevine, Dalkey (www.onthegrapevine.ie); Liston’s, Camden Street; World Wide Wines, Waterford; Jus de Vine, Portmarnock.

Benanti Nerello Cappuccio 2004, 13%, €35. A quite remarkable wine with a real difference; there is a strong underlying acidic minerality, matched by some complex dark fruits, dark cherries and plums – with a delicious earthiness. Sipping it after dinner with cheese, it seemed to explode with intense dark fruits. Drink now, or lay down for a few years. Either way, drink it with food, preferably a robust red meat or mature hard cheese. Stockists: Jus de Vine, Portmarnock: Martin’s, Fairview; Hole in the Wall, Blackhorse Avenue; Bin No. 9, Goatstown; Thomas’s Foxrock; The Foodhall, Portlaoise; Morton’s, Galway.

Planeta La Segreta Bianco 2007, IGT Siciliana, 13%, €16. Made from 50 per cent local Grecanico, along with 30 per cent Chardonnay, 10 per cent Fiano and 10 per cent Viognier, this is a charming white with succulent, plump peach fruits and a solid core of mineral acidity. Delicious on its own, or with fish or chicken. Stockists: D6, Harold’s Cross; Michael’s Wines, Deerpark; Parson’s, Cork; www.jnwine.com.

JOIN A SICILIAN TOUR

Mitchell Son is running a seven-day trip to Sicily, including visits to two of the wineries mentioned above. It departs on May 17th, and the price, including a four-star hotel, lunches, and tastings is €1,249. See www.thetraveldepartment.ie or tel: 01-6371600.