Wine Country International ® Co-Founders Christopher and Darcy Davies visited Sicily for two delicious weeks in September 2024. During their visit, they traveled around Mount Etna, down the eastern coast of Sicily, and to the heart of Sicily in Cammarata, halfway between Palermo and Agrigento.
While the pair tasted over 100 wines during this excursion, they selected 7 of their favorites for retasting by Wine Country International ® Senior Editors.
1)Feudo Montoni Catarratto del Masso Sicilia IGT 2023, $25
Made from 100% Catarratto grapes grown at a high-altitude vineyard, protected by centuries-old durum wheat fields.
Straw gold color. Aromas of apricots, peach tones, heavy stone fruit, volcanic, great minerals, wet stone. Flavors of delicious fruit, citrus, with a long and complex finish.
Pair with vegetables, light fish, or pasta dishes.
2)Feudo Maccari Olli Grillo Sicilia IGT 2023, $16
Made from 100% estate-grown Grillo grapes sourced from a 20-year-old bush vineyard one mile from the sea.
Straw yellow gold color. Aromas of flowers, peaches and cream, melon, wet stone with a soft volcanic back nose. Flavors of melon, citrus, malo, and acid with fantastic balance. This is a great food wine.
Pairs well with cheese, shellfish, and grilled vegetables.
3)Donnafugata Cerasuolo di Vittoria Floramundi 2020, $25
A blend of Nero d’Avola and Frappato grapes.
Intense ruby red color. Aromas of ripe berries, big fruits, low oak, cherries, and strawberries.
Flavors of fresh fruit, chewy tannins, and balance.
Nicolas Post: This is a great steakhouse wine!
Pairs well with grilled meats, pulled pork, or tuna.
4)Donnafugata Fragore Etna Rosso DOC- Contrada Montelaguardia 2020, $77
100% Nerello Mascalese grown in the Montelaguardia district of Randazzo in northern Etna.
Stainless Steel fermentation. Aged in neutral French Oak for 14 months, aged for an additional 20 months in the bottle.
Ruby Red Color. Aromas of rich chocolate, warm dry berries, black currant, and concentrated fruit. Flavors of bitter chocolate, dates, and prunes. Produced in an old-world style.
Pairs well with mushrooms, turkey, and meats.
5) Biondi Cisterna Fuori Etna Rosso 2020, $70
A blend of 80% Mascalese and 20% Nerello Cappuccio, grown on the terraced slopes near an ancient cistern on the Biondi estate in South Etna near Trecastagni and Catania.
Purple and blue-toned, this wine has aromas of earthy, baked berries, vanilla, tart cherries, and cranberries. Flavors of citrus and tart cherry follow, with a medium finish. This is an easy, everyday wine.
Pair with grilled seafood (swordfish, tuna steak), roasted meats (pork, chicken), and game.
6) Feudo Montoni Nero d’Avola Vrucara Prephylloxera Sicilia IGT 2019, $67
Grown from ancient, “mother plant “Nero d’Avola vines. Aged in cement and old wood.
Bright, elegant ruby red color. Notes of red plum and dark baked fruit. Flavors of strawberries and cherries with a powdery finish.
Pairs well with roasted meats, BBQ, and grilled fish.
7) Feudo Maccari Maharis Syrah 2021, $42
100% Syrah grapes. Aged in French oak for 16 months.
Made from 100% Syrah grown near Noto, one mile from the sea. This is a surprising and bold international varietal planting for Sicily that really works!
Intense Ruby red. Aromas of huge fruit-forward nose, baked berries, vanilla, and warm fruits. Flavors of soft, warm berries with a touch of skin tannins.
Pairs well with fine meats, game, braised red meats, and anything grilled.
We love your reviews. Most of these wines are available for purchase at Wine.com.
Cheers!
Hank Johnson