Speakers-Sarah Effinger and Scott Large from Provisions $45
“Western Sicily grows a lot of OK wine, but the wines from Centopassi are different. They come from various vineyards in the high Belice Corleonese, a plateau at over 500 meters (1800 feet) above sea level, near the town of Corleone, south of Palermo. The soils are clay of various kinds, at an altitude that gives cool nights and fresh acidity at harvest; the vineyards are cultivated organically; the varieties are indigenous to Sicily, which is to say adapted to the conditions found here; the winemaking allows the native character of the fruit to shine, and is not at all intrusive; and the results range from excellent everyday drinking (Giato Rosso and Bianco) to the best Sicilian single-vineyard wines I’ve had outside of Etna. The whites are particularly striking, vivid and mouthwatering, but the whole range is consistently excellent.”
“These two grape varieties are widely grown in western Sicily, and used to be mostly used to make Marsala. They make very good white wine too; this shows none of the vague soft character of bad commercial examples, but is brisk, flavorful (hints of herbs, apple and mandarin orange) and delicious. Shockingly good for the money.”
“Fairly deep red with violet rim; smells and tastes like sour plums with a faint hint of rose-petal; very drinkable but also very fresh and properly dry (which a lot of commercial Nero d’Avola is not). Delicious red wine.”
