I B REGIONAL ANALYSIS W S ’ R E G N I N I E M 1 1 / 3

The beautiful island of Sicily SICILY COMES INTO ITS OWN

The Italian island of Sicily was for a long time the place where northern producers sourced their bulk wine. But after 30 years of hard work, Sicily is coming into its own as a region where exciting wines are to be found. Michéle Shah tracks the changes.

ntil the early 1980s, Sicily was pri - of a number of family estates, including president of the island’s largest co-op win - marily producing vast quantities of Planeta, Donnafugata and Tasca ery, Settesoli. Planeta planted Chardonnay, Ubulk wine used for blending wines d’Almerita, still considered the benchmark Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, and took of the north and often shipped as far as of Sicilian wines today. Following the on winemakers with international experi - France. There were few wineries to speak example of Planeta, they established their ence in winemaking in hot climates, partic - of with the exception of the Corvo wines reputation by planting international grape ularly from Australia. Planeta’s La Segreta from the Duca di Salaparuta winery and varieties. label proved that good value wines could the family estate wines of Tasca d’Almerita. A region emerges be made from Sicily, and their emergence Since then, the quality of production has could be considered the moment of Sicily’s made leaps and bounds. The most signifi - “It was necessary to reassure the world Renaissance. cant changes in Sicily’s production took that Sicily could produce quality wines and International varietals led the way into place in the mid-1980s thanks to the work not just bulk wine,” explains Diego Planeta, the markets, yet at the same time, wine -

40 I SICILY B W S ’ R E maker consultants such as Giacomo Tachis expressed by the trade is that although wines in general are missing a huge oppor - G N I

and agronomist Professor Attilio Scienza – quality has greatly improved, producers tunity in today’s market place. Most of N I E

both working with Sicily’s Regional are still too ambitious with pricing, forget - them retail in the $15.00-$25.00 range, M 1

Institute for Wine and Viticulture (Istituto ting that quality/pricing is one of the most right in the middle of the most competitive 1 / Regionale della Vite e del Vino, or IRVV) – important factors for sales. price segment for Italian wines. Given 3 believed in the potential of Sicily’s indige - “The quality of Sicilian wines coming to Sicily’s climate and abundant available nous varietals. Over the past 20 years, the the US market is very high. Estates like vineyards it should be possible to produce IRVV and its consultants have contributed high-quality wines that retail in the enormously to establishing vineyard man - Ten Top Wineries and their Brands $10.00-$12.00 segment.” LoCascio says agement, research, and clonal selection of Settesoli that price point is “a sweet spot that has its main indigenous varietals, such as Nero Main brand includes single varietal been all but vacated by Italian wines in d’Avola, Carricante, Nerello Mascalese, wines under the label MandraRossa recent years, and that’s where serious Catarratto and Inzolia, which today repre - IVAM (Messina) business could be done. At current price sent the face of Sicilian wines. Barone di Bernaj, Terra di Luce, Tralci levels Sicilian wines provide interesting Sicily still has some tangled knots to Scansiana, La Bella Angelica, Eolo alternatives to offerings from other areas, comb out before it can glide successfully Duca di Salaparuta but it will be difficult for these brands to into the international arena. Its potential in Corvo, Duca Enrico, Salaparuta, Terre reach large volumes.” exports is greatly under-exploited, with d’Agala A look at Sicily less than 10% of total production exported. Pellegrino Most producers think that if there were Duca di Castelmonte – HoReCa range Sicily today has 22 DOC areas of pro - less fragmentation and more cohesion and Passito di Pantelleria range duction and one DOCG Cerasuolo di among producers, promotion could be Cantine Pellegrino – Marsala wines Vittoria, yet most wine is labeled IGT more effective and export sales would Firriato Sicilia. “This gives us more freedom and therefore increase. Camelot, Harmonium, Cavanera, allows us to bottle single varietal wines, This is where the IRVV comes in, with Quarter, Santagostino, Etna, Altavilla, with the mention of the grape variety on its goal of creating a viable system of pro - Chiaramonte the label, which is not possible under the motion under one umbrella. Under the eye Tasca d’Almerita DOC denomination,” says Giuseppe of the IRVV, issues of quality control, Tenuta Regaleali, Capofaro, Island of Monaco, export manager of Cantine research, training in viticulture and vinifi - Mothia, Tascante Estate, Sallier de La Nicosia. Sicily’s ongoing debate over creat - cation have been addressed over the past Tour ing the new DOC Sicilia is the hottest issue years, yielding positive results. “Of course Cusumano disputed among producers. there are still some producers lagging Noà, Pinot Nero, Jalé, Benuara, Sicilian wines have historically been behind, but on the whole the increase in Angimbé, Cubìa, Sàgana shipped to the north and used for blending. quality production is still unknown to the Donnafugata It is also true that from the 1990s, thanks outside world, this is why we really need to Lighea, La Fuga, Sherazade, Tancredi, to the growing popularity of Nero d’Avola, focus our attention on communicating to Mille e una Notte, Kabir, Ben Ryé large quantities of bulk wine was shipped the consumer,” says Dario Cartabellotta, Cantine Nicosia (Etna) north and bottled under labels of northern the managing director. “Making good wine Sosta Tre Santi, Fondo Filaria, Vulkà, wineries. They were sold cheap in is not enough. We need to get the message Manna Sicana, Alcantara international markets, creating friction across though commercial channels, where Planeta between wineries in Sicily and those sales figures demonstrate Sicily’s growing La Segreta Bianco/Rosso, Chardonnay, bottling Sicilian wines out of Sicily, an potential.” Cometa, Burdese, Syrah, Merlot, issue that the new DOC Sicilia will attempt According to Cartabellotta the second Cerasuolo di Vittoria to regulate. important ‘Renaissance’ currently taking “The only reason that justifies creating place with Sicilian wine is the communica - Tasca d’Almerita, Planeta, Donnafugata, the DOC Sicilia is to regulate and obligate tion of its quality to the rest of the world. Cusumano and a number of emerging the bottling of Sicilian wine in Sicily,” com - Cartabellotta explains: “We are targeting Sicilian estates all have contributed to ele - ments Fabio Piccoli, co-author of ‘Il Vino international markets and taking part in vating the image of Sicilian wines,” Oltre la Crisi’ and international marketing international shows, as well as organizing explains Leonardo LoCascio, the CEO of consultant to a number of Italian consor - events with importers and opinion leaders Winebow, USA. He says that Sicily’s top tiums, including Sicily. “However, this at here in Sicily, in order to communicate the offerings are world-class wines that com - present is not possible, for the very fact excellence of our wines and the unique - pare favourably with top wines from all that the EU will not change the bottling ness of our territory.” over the world, and consumer interest in rights which have been acquired over the It takes time to implement changes varietals like Nero d’Avola and, to a lesser past ten years by a number of large bottlers across the board and one of the most fre - extent, Grillo and Inzolia has never been outside Sicily and Italy.” Piccoli also identi - quent criticisms of Sicilian wines higher. “That said, in my opinion Sicilian fies a second important factor. “Though no-

41 I B REGIONAL ANALYSIS W S ’ R E G N

I Sicily N I E M 1 1 / 3

63.8%

35.9%

Surface area of Surface area of black grapes: white grapes: V V R I :

41,569 ha 73,824 ha E C R U O S

one wants to admit it, Sicily’s bulk wine The key issue is the bottling of wine out - fast. The DOC Sicilia is necessary to regu - (and there is plenty of it, as only 20% of its side Sicily, as Piccoli explains, is that to late IGT Nero d’Avola and Inzolia, which is total production is bottled in Sicily) is a evaluate the volume of business this brings bottled outside Italy with no quality or lucrative business, in particular for the or takes away, one would need to know authenticity control, and sold at outra - larger cooperatives in Sicily.” Piccoli goes exactly how much wine is bottled outside geously cheap prices.” on to explain that if these issues were to Sicily. This, apparently, is not known, or if The wines change under the DOC Sicilia, not allowing it is, it’s not admitted. bulk Sicilian wine to be bottled outside, “The DOC Sicilia is necessary as long as Until 30 years ago Marsala, a fortified Sicily would submerge under a sea of bulk the identity of the individual DOCs are wine, was one of the few commercially wine, with no sales outlet. Piccoli adds, retained,” says Professor Scienza. “DOCs known wines from Sicily. The history of “What producers in Sicily still need to such as Etna and Pantelleria should be Marsala as a quality wine, based on the learn is how to sell their wines to interna - upgraded to DOCGs and historic DOCs white varieties of Grillo, Catarratto, Inzolia tional markets.” such as Menfi and Marsala should stand and Damaschino is part of the country’s

42 o r n a r i o o c c w C o t a r e h l u w Ne d n d n i d r t a r r a n i i r a 1. 2 ’Av s o r e l , e e r u t c u r t o l e v e e h T l yt . i 1- % 5 3 o l n a l o r g t ’d e n a ch i r we i t p s i o y to l r a , o Avo a I f , n e t l e o c l l p i o s s ’ o t by A h w l b m y n l g d s r we p g n % n i g e t n a a l e l o p c e l o h a e t l y g n , t h l e v e w w c h i a l d n l a e c s s e h % 1 o s m r m e e v r a s e o d i f i g e v . d e n i e y e v t a d e t n c s s e n o i . n i r e h e g i c h o l y t c h t i r e t c o o s h t e r t i h w t r- e t n o o t s f o o s r e v o P I “ e l t s d f o a l o a o e e n e c a y k a ch f o a l o h s w r o m g n i r a g u s W f o t c i S a h T g n i s a e m n i . s n , % 15 . l o b M d e k l l e et n yo h e v e d n e t n r a g u s g n i ow e m e h f o c u m t o l a r 0 3 18 , 8 a r h t e i s r a a f l i aaw “ u e n i w , e e s t d n i p , 2 3 h L . a h o c n i a h C n a i V h t l i h w a l u g e t c l a e a e r n e h n o o f e r a o l l a o e b e ( s n p a r f o i w r e h t o r a h d n A e C b o c t n e g i o r p t e e s g r r y t s o m 3 0 9 r e l n i t n a l r i d a r l o o d r a n , a n i e a c e g n r b s w r c n e r P “ M e r g a M e l o o h o c l a g n i w e o l t n e t n e d M c r a , e n i e m o n i i d n c i t a m l o r f . e r i a c i l o s e I e n i h s e h a g e d s r a , s n o g i , l e v f R o M r c n i n o i t i f s r a u o g n i s u c o e p ’s t i T u t s n i c u e P g n i c u d s a e c u d o b a s r c e h t a s g n i k V m h M h ow d r p , s e r a t c d f o e h s r a t a s g o s u t a m a t e r n re . t s V, i o t s i gn i d n a e l l p a p a f r a c s M y d l l b o l t a l I e e c n i s a e o t , e h t a t l a a r c i S t l d e r c i h w o r n i n r u t l a t – d n a u g A e i r a v g h t a n a , a d l l i t s b e h e o s r e o c l a i r g i d e R I r o i t e t s h t i w n i m i to t l re t . s e r , m o t n , M c e c u d c Re t o m a r g a e g o e s a b a c S ‘ a u q o t a b s i a i b yl i , w h s u b d h d y t i r s a V V t o .s m e n h o l a n s r a o n e r e h e t n a l a ) a t a l l o e h t e r g - u ch s a ce s n o f e n i i c e e D h n o e r o p s i g or Ne S g n i m n i yt lo h o c l a d n a s r e p a r t n e b h t h s i d e d e e n a r r h t t i l e p a c e h t a i l i c i r l g t o y l . s u n e m d d e s a a a e h t i y d p p o p l i r o m – s i - , s re v e n i a r t - r e c n u a w , s e l y t s k n e r e l y t e c h t f - h t c i n n s ’ a g n i s e t r a B o r o , e d e o n a ch el i h u t o s n o c a m u fo d n a c u s e r p g n ck a l f e s u e n y e u c p e n i u o d n a e r a t e v e l h t i w n n a hc i h w t ex t i h , M e d a r g e r o n i d o r l ot no y t s h g a m i e o f - a l a s r a M n e r r a i l o e b e v o w d t eh t l a s r a gn i r b a we d e s e g n e e s p d s t i w , t c n i o a i a e h t l A n i r a m l o l u t e t a dr a w r r n e d o r u p m u i t r e l , f l e h n i e n i v n o i t c ,e p i r r o r a n a s e rwe t t a yl t d s M m i o m e o t l i r o l F s e h o h n i .”s e . d , a f f p e j o l . s kt e h o t m i n t ’a , l a s r a u t u f o a a y d o t a a o t e g a o r u o i t t c s e l y t s h t t w . s er p p s h T – e h g t o C a f o o c a b p ar e l o S , o t a h er e h p yt i n n o f ru O l a s o u b e s e c s i f o sa o r o s n n a . e s y t s no i t a l l o H e h t d n B ,” y l o s r a M I t d os l a o s a h d VV .R e r u a e l e c u a f e v we fo e h t mu i t r r t t sa y s e r a o i z o s a u m mu n t i i t s i e p ev i v e r a h c ,ch r a b z e n r a i a w o o y t s yt i l a u q n i e e t s r, CO D d n ll i f n e - k n d e l o h t l l i t s g n i l u l u f e g n a n dn a n i e e e s ts o m an r e t n i w a e d – 14 r s m .h t e - ot d S ’ a Av l i c i d g i r e e z o p n i i a l y u b E o r n d e a M “ S a s e m c i k , g p x ,” c u d o n m o s i c i b g n k l t e l y 90 0 2 80 0 2 70 0 2 60 0 2 50 0 2 40 0 2 30 0 2 20 0 2 10 0 2 00 0 2 99 9 1 89 9 1 79 9 1 h r o s e s p x y l i e , u e h t n a a k a s e m o h n t h g a l n i ’ n i a o r e i f s e M o w d m g g n u g i c r . f v e e b g s o b f n u e n r e d W S g o r d re l P t o t s r c a r l a i , d e i c i o s e D m , e e n a d n a n i w d o el t o n ar an a h c l n s s o l y t s i u r f 34 8 , 2 1 13 9 , 5 1 48 1 , 9 1 25 7 , 3 3 88 3 , 8 4 97 1 , 9 6 12 6 , 7 3 47 5 , 9 3 e r io t t 43 8 , 8 71 3 , 8 84 6 , 1 48 9 , 8 47 5 , 9 n a d a 4 kl u B e , a a S g p g s l e n n a a w 3 m e d e C y t i in a e “ c u b m a i t r e n i d p i w g e h w t g u o h t f o a u q r m o l Va o ta a e r o o di p a c o t a C n l u r g . l a i t n e t i w et a r t s n b r l p a n i t E e p r e t n s i a l el c c u p p i f o r p l r a s a e c e u e p a a e , e n g a s n a n , c tor i l i r te t o n t n l l e a t e Nr e t y l o n s e i w h t i e r t n e t t , n w ta s a r b ly R 17 4 , 5 7 21 7 , 2 7 71 8 , 2 7 97 2 , 3 7 57 7 , 7 6 93 5 , 6 6 61 1 , 6 5 59 5 , 9 5 22 2 , 0 5 85 6 , 2 4 13 7 , 4 3 02 0 , 5 3 30 4 , 4 2 f i d n a r c g l el t t o B a 0 0 ( I oh s r e h r i o ,e RV c a h e t s e s o o , , o i i r v eh t N l l e t n o i e y f o w a o ” e N e n i ” n t r g n or e uo o s c a r V d d e h t i w o as y c g r te u t f o e t 0 e nr E ow n a r e l f e t c s a n i y a C n o D ro c )€ e t p r T i f e r s d r a ex m n a n d e z i e M a C d e l s g e r a n C O o y i V h g n i l e b r c u p p n t a h T a t o r o o a - e c t n u o a h C o L t t n e i e r t g r to t “ t n e h n l l e p n c c e r a i w , B r i e t h T c s o m g o d e n i c s a M n d a m d e r e h i c n i n i k n ml o p b , s h t n u o a c a i n a e t i r n e u t o n g s a h c s d d o l e y i w e f t e g i , a g n a l f p e w e N o l n n E s s e r e l a r s o , o c t o i c g e s n e t f d n a x E l y t t i o c l a i t t t e n i S e a k o u a n a e o t f e l n p h t w e r a e N e l a s e h T f o e i c n o r n e c e r n a f o s t w c a e c n . ot g n i E x D e s e g e r u a g i t i o p t l i , d st e h t n Tp o m r u s n a h t i a c a r e C O n e e r c a 90 0 2 80 0 2 70 0 2 60 0 2 50 0 2 40 0 2 30 0 2 20 0 2 10 0 2 00 0 2 99 9 1 89 9 1 79 9 1 h s h a o h t y l y t t c n i g y n p e e S l e , e d n e s f b av R r t n c t n p o . s e p n d e i t o l l . e c o b t r c i i t o . s i i e t f o h , m , o f e h p u g a a t t o e o g e a w r e o b i d l a i f a C e h t d o r a e y l i r d n a s n i f e r a m d l a o r r l b l t o n a g n o w n i S n b o s , l t a g a n i t n e r i n u h t i d t o c Ac s a M a g n n a n a u a i l i c i s e s p o l m e t n f d n e t a ’ s e f e d c u d n l s t s e a s st t i u r s i e o m g n i s h o m S g t s a n e s e h d e d u q o b a m r e h c n i s e e c h o i t a e N i t s d e a r t - r f i m o w a e s e l a c n n o n p i c v f o d r t s i e r e g e s n a f o e r i .” e r t e l y m o w i d er n a l t .” n e n i a d n t 32 3 , 1 0 1 , 1 02 6 , 1 3 5 , 1 09 5 , 3 7 9 , 1 14 3 , 2 3 0 , 1 13 6 , 8 0 2 , 1 r a l t l f o l g n i a r 60 9 , 8 1 1 22 4 , 0 4 1 07 9 , 3 1 1 22 3 , 7 6 1 20 0 , 7 2 2 86 9 , 1 2 4 l vo o r p t a e r a o l re e e i n i h i r o m n 63 3 , 0 7 11 1 , 3 8 owe p - f a c o o n a t e i e h ht a t c n a w a c i r c i S ol l al kl u B S e n e d l f o mp o t E c a . s g h t o o t s a c c t rvo d d t r l o s l t ly i t a n e e i . s l n o f a f e t c u S a e r a r e t i n o y l l i w dn a i d i w fo hy f r i i w l e c n i v t u ex l n a u i c I “ , a r c y l y t V l u a C t i S , l i n , ch h s ’ y l m h n o e n s de c e i o i c i e e t s a e i k a t n r t s t i w - t r u r C e a o i w s ra lexe c i m u l h t s a m n e l e l ’ y l f i b a I S s u - e n i w n e h a g n i n Noto c eh t 22 9 , 5 1 2 82 1 , 2 9 1 92 9 , 3 5 1 96 2 , 3 6 1 87 6 , 1 1 1 34 7 , 0 4 3 48 9 , 3 6 2 95 2 , 6 7 2 96 9 , 1 9 2 14 9 , 6 6 2 36 2 , 0 6 2 23 4 , 3 9 1 97 5 , 5 2 2 s o d e i .s r e k l e r a - h s g n o g el t t o B  s n - C e a t o l m u b a l p e t h t ow r g l o s a Y L I , ( n i d t ck e h lu c i a e c l - ta : k L - - ) ni -

SOURCE: IRVV

3/11 MEININGER’S WBI