Month: October 2024

2022 Planeta Cerasuolo di Vittoria

Maybe there’s a case for mixing Nero d’Avola with Frappato to make something greater than the sum of its bits? The wise regulators of Italian wine must think so, as it’s Sicily’s only DOCG. Personally in person as Montalbano’s bumbling Catarella would say, I really like the blend. Bit of chiaroscuro. This large producer’s version took a while to shed some stinky reduction. Eventually some sweet pomegranate, strawberry and raspberry, from Frappato maybe, and dark cherry bass notes, all medium of body and a swell of grainy Italian tannin and acidity bring some focus. Nice balance, grapes as good friends. Warm and friendly. Just like Sicily.

12.5% alcohol. Diam or Nomacorc, forgot. $15.

92 points.

2021 Castelluccimiano Bianco Catarratto Valledolmo Contea di Sclafani

From a fairly recent DOC I think up in the western hills of Sicily comes another native of the island. Castelluccimiano’s website has more information about the vineyard at an altitude of above 700m and some great photos of a rebirth of some old farming territory. In times of a changing climate you can only hope they’re surviving the drought afflicting much of central Sicily. This had a succulent depth of savoury citrus fruit with a bit of maybe local prickly pear. Having just tried some from a local market, maybe it’s valid. The local slang for the fruit is big bastard, great. Good sweep of dried herb and chamomile too. A pleasing chunk of ripe acid makes a plate of Sicilian sea creatures a good idea. I thought I knew a bit about the island’s wine but there’s so much more to discover. Doing my best.

13% alcohol. Diam, yes again. €15 ish.

92 or 93 for faith in a place.

2020 Serafini e Vidotto Recantina Montello – Colli Asolani

Ah Asolo, a favourite and very beautiful village in the Veneto near Treviso which was so loved by Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett that they turned the name into a verb. Hanging around the pretty village was Asoloing. S and V have made some of my favourite Italian Cabernets too. Their home is in the town of Nervesa della Battaglia, maybe apprehensive about the fight, probably not. Finding three different labels of theirs in the impressive Trieste Eataly mega store caused some dithering. Mrs CBT sagely suggested the one with the nicest graphics. With no indication of the grapes on the label or so I thought, it was sort of disappointing to find this wasn’t Cabernet but a super rare Veneto oldie, Recantina, der. The result was no disappointment, incredibly intense wafts of spice and sap like diving nose first into a freshly scythed herb bed. Loads of sweet fruit extract too filling the senses with red fruits galore. The texture of ripe dense sweet tannin mingled beautifully with mouthwatering acidity that lightened and matched the fruit loading. Another previously unacquainted Italian and love at first sight.

13.5% alcohol. Diam again. €19.

93 points.