Time flies by and it seems there’s no posts since the end of March. When you’re not paying much for WordPress’ basic and it must be said pretty clunky site, it doesn’t help the lack of motivation. Nonetheless if you’re lucky enough to be spending some time back in the fascinating and gently hedonistic town of Trapani on the western tip of la bella Sicily, then it’s probably a good idea to note a bottle or two. What better than to anticlimax a new review with a bottle you’re unlikely to find outside the few square kilometres of the provincia itself. Close to the ancient sea wall of old Trapani is an alimentari or deli run by a passionate man who I think gave up running a supermarket to open a small business to enjoy selling things of real quality from the local area. At least, that’s what my very limited Italian grasped. Some good cheese, piggy things, olives and a sort of tapenade were all excellent, as was this bottle of one of my favourite Sicilian red grapes. The label suggests it’s made from a vineyard of only 1700 vines. A kilo or two per vine probably means only two to three thousand bottles, not exactly Yellow Tail. Nevertheless, what a delicious drink. Utterly clean, pure and just moderately extracted, there was loads of raspberries and cherries anchored by some lovely powdery soft tannins and bright acidity. Underscored by a rattle of earthy goodness, like sweet organic soil. All of a piece, no jangling and sort of like a cru Bojo for want of a better comparison. The other bit of the label says something worthy in Italian I think
If you find yourself in Trapani, the lovely man running La Deliziosa will cheerfully offer a few tastes of cheese and good things. A picture of him below, stolen from googlemaps.
The same tiny producer also makes a cracking Grillo which I reckon shares a rich but tightened by texture similarity to Palomino from that other sea salty place in Spain.
13.5% alcohol. Diam. €20.
93 points.
