Sicily Wine

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2023

James Suckling 91 Points | A juicy red that has notes of warm spices, orange rind and black fruit on the nose. It’s medium-bodied and deliciously fruity, with medium tannins and a bright finish.

Jeb Dunnuck 90 Points | A youthful ruby/magenta color, the 2023 Nero d'Avola Alto Reale is a softer style of Nero d'Avola, raised in a combination of stainless steel and oak barrels. It reveals notes of ripe cherries, pine, sage, and fresh crushed flowers. Often, I feel like Nero leans toward oxidation, but they do a nice job of keeping the freshness. Medium-bodied, it’s light on its feet, with fine tannins, clean lift, and a finessed, easygoing finish.

Winemaker Description

Nero d’Avola gives this wine a red passion color, hints of ripe fruit and an intense and harmonious taste. Immediate and direct but not trivial, it differs in the altitude at which its grapes are grown, which allows for a fresher wine, with delicate tannins and easy to drink style.

Bright, fresh, and organically made, this Sicilian rosé bursts with notes of wild strawberry and citrus. Light-bodied and easy-drinking—perfect for picnics, beach days, or aperitivo hour.

Winemaker Description 

A perennial favorite from Southern Sicily, the Purato rosato is dry, bright, energetic and versatile. While it is delicious on its own, you really should try it with your next plate of charcuterie or alongside toasted bread with fresh ricotta, rosemary and olive oil. It just so also happens to be both Organic and Vegan!

Purato Rosé is a Sicilian wine made with the Nero d’Avola grape, and the winery is exceptionally environmentally friendly. This wine is not only organically farmed, but its production is also carbon-neutral and vegan-friendly, and it is packaged exclusively in recycled and recyclable materials. On the nose, it is surprisingly complex for an everyday rosé: notes of fruit, wet sand, sea breeze, but also orange honey and some spices. It’s fresh, simple and pleasant.

Our Professional Review

Bart Hopkins of 67Wine.com | Made from organically grown grapes and vegan friendly, this dark, juicy, easy drinking Nero d’Avola is uncomplicated, packed with flavor, and irresistibly delicious. Plump and round in the mouth with blackberry, plum and raspberry fruit at its core with silky tannins and a velvety rich texture. An affordable indulgence for any meal, this is an ideal partner to pasta in tomato sauce and hearty pizza.

Winemaker Description

Deep purple red color. The nose reveals intense fruity notes of blackberry and blueberry compote, together with smoky and spicy notes. On the palate it is extraordinarily round and complete, with a natural and effortless balance of tannin and acidity, structure and length.

Purato’s environmental commitment extends into the winery. Purato uses eco-friendly packaging, made from recycled paper, pure vegetable ink on the labels and 85% recycled glass for the bottle.

Our Professional Review

Debra of 67Wine.com | Cantine Colosi's Grillo is certified vegan and shows fresh floral aromas , stone fruits and  herbs.  This Southern Italian white is bright, with lively acidity, orange zest, grapefruit, white peaches and savoriness on the palate.  

Wonderfully balanced offering a generous crisp, refreshing finish. Pair with lemon pasta and cream sauce,  chicken,  seafood and goat cheese.  Debra, Italy White Wine Buyer.

Winemaker Description 

The color is a pale straw yellow. The bouquet on the nose is intense and rich with hints of golden apple followed by sensations of tropical fruit. Sapid, clean, and well balanced sip. 

Grillo is an indigenous Sicilian white grape variety once used as the base for the best Marsala. Originally it produced potent, full-bodied base wines that were supplemented by other varietals such as Inzolia and Catarratto. Sicilian producers have since resurrected their Grillo vineyards and are now producing Grillo as its own wonderfully fresh and clean varietal.

Perfect with fish, seafood and delicate cheeses.

Our Professional Review

Debra of 67Wine.com | A thrill seeking wine from the volcanic region in Southern Italy, Mt. Etna, Benanti showcases this 100% Carricante at it's best.  Complexity on the nose with aromas and flavors of grapefruit, saline, fresh acidity with lots of minerality. A pure varietal expression,  this wine is full of life, vibrant, energetic and a lingering finish. 

Pair with ricotta cheese drizzled with orange and/or lemon rind, grilled swordfish, tuna, cheeses, and lemon pasta dishes.

Our Professional Review

Debra of 67Wine.com | This Sicilian white is light, clean , and offers stone fruit flavors of peach,  citrus and a subtle tropical fruit note.  This wine is made with organic grapes and it is also vegan. Purely enjoyable, harmonious, light bodied with freshness making it a perfect wine for every day drinking.

Enjoy with cheese from 67Gourmet, light seafood dishes, salads or as an aperitif.

Winemaker Description 

Straw yellow color. The bouquet on the nose shows aromas of citrus, tropical fruits and floral notes. On the palate it is fresh and enjoyable; balanced for everyday drinking.

This wine is made with certified organic grapes. No artificial fertilizers or pesticides are used in the vineyards. Purato’s environmental commitment extends into the winery. Purato uses eco-friendly packaging, made from recycled paper, pure vegetable ink on the labels and 85% recycled glass for the bottle.

Our Notes

"One of my favorite great value reds! Velvety textured with delicious flavors of blackberry, plum and strawberry with savory spice and aromatic herbs. Medium to full bodied with supple tannins that provide lift and structure.  Great for pizza, pasta and any midweek excursion."
Bart Hopkins

Winery Notes

Intense, dark ruby red. On the nose, notes of black fruit, strawberries, flowers and herbs. Dry and full-bodied on the palate.

Expert Review - Vintage 2022

James Suckling 92 Points | A well-built, structured and vivid nero d’avola, showing notes of dark berries, stones and wafers on the nose. Medium-bodied with fine, firm tannins. Attractive and focused, with more purple-fruit character in the finish. Drink or hold. Glass stopper.

Winemaker Description

Cusumano Nero d'Avola is a deep ruby red, with violet reflections. Fresh aromas of red and black berries. Fruit-forward with firm tannins and plummy spice flavors on the palate. Winemaker Description. 

Winemaker Description

From the Regaleali Estate, the Tasca winery, focusing on Nero d'Avola grapes (black grape variety also called 'Calabrese' not because it comes from Calabria, but as it derives from the ancient Calabrese family originating in the area of Modica - Avola), produces this Ruby red wine, which has an exceptional aroma that brings to mind harmonious fruity notes well blended with typical Mediterranean spices. On the palate, an intense flavor of ripe fruit comes along with a pleasantly tannic background.

Expert Review - Vintage 2021

James Suckling - 90 Points - Rich brambly fruit with some fresh figs, cherries and white pepper. Round and fresh on the palate with creamy tannins and a simple, fruit-forward finish.

Our Professional Review 

Bart Hopkins, 67 Wine Buyer: For centuries, Sicily has been a crossroad of cultures, languages, and religions. With a multitude of cultural exchange, many things came from distant places, grape varieties included. The Syrah grape had its origins in Persia and Mesopotamia and migrated across Europe finding its way to Sicily. The hot sunny climate is a perfect home for this intrepid grape variety and is conducive to natural organic farming.

Tenuta Rapitala Nadir Syrah is rich and well endowed with layers of black fruits and earthy spice. Full bodied and robustly structured with savory complexity and a chewy texture. Abundant and robust in the mouth, with supple tannins providing good grip on the finish, this is a perfect wine for foods of substance, such as pizza, pasta, grilled or roasted meats and hearty vegetable dishes.

Winery Description 

Intense ruby-red color with damask-violet tints. Generous bouquet with touches of ripe fruit and the typical spices of this grape variety, with attractive hints of vanilla. The flavor is full and delicate, with soft and elegant tannins. A balanced marriage between the depth of this product and the uniqueness of this exceptional terroir.

Winemaker Description

70% Frappato/30% Nero d'Avola. From organically and Biodynamically farmed estate vines, averaging 20+ years old and planted on chalky, sandy soils. The bunches are harvested by hand, destemmed and co-fermented spontaneously with native yeasts in concrete tanks. Maceration lasts approximately two weeks. The wine is aged in concrete tanks for 6 months and bottled unfiltered. Sulfur use is modest. "SP68" is the Strada Provinciale 68, the country road on which the Occhipinti winery and home vineyard lie.

SP68 is a road but also a young wine. Fresh and pleasant, with a delicate taste that brings with it the taste of the sun and the freshness of this land. Juicy flavors of strawberry, raspberry and wild herbs complimented by refreshing acidity and soft tannins.

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A straw-yellow wine characterised by rich apple and pear notes, which render it instantly recognisable and appreciated. The taste is warm and dry, slightly tannic and displaying a citric aroma.

Winemaker Description 

Occhipinti SP68 Bianco is a dry, organic and biodynamic white wine made with the Albanello and Moscato de Alejandría varieties and produced by Arianna Occhipinti, in Sicily, Italy.

"The name of a road, for a wine that is a journey", is the perfect and forceful description that Arianna Occhipinti gives to her Occhipinti SP68 Bianco, a wine that refers to the Strada Provinciale 68 as a tribute to all those peasants who have travelled along this road from the countryside for three thousand years, first with amphoras and then with barrels containing the fruit of their labour, fatigue and joy, and the aroma of their land.

In the middle of Strada Provinciale 68, in Vittoria, Sicily, we also find the Arianna Occhipinti winery where this Occhipinti SP68 Bianco was created. The wine is made with grapes that come from vineyards with an average age of 15 years, located 280 metres above sea level and composed of soils of red sand and limestone, which are cultivated according to the principles of organic agriculture and biodynamics.

The plots are cultivated without employing chemicals, and the grapes are harvested by hand and fermented with their native yeasts. The must remains in contact with the skins for 15 days. The wine is aged for 6 months in cement tanks and finally bottled unfiltered.

Occhipinti SP68 Bianco is a terroir wine born out of respect for the land and the vineyard, and reflects the philosophy of Arianna Occhipinti who states the following: "If the work in the vineyard is performed with care, the passage to the winery becomes simpler and requires fewer interventions. Winemaker Description. 

Expert Review - Vintage 2024

Vinous 94 Points | The first of the two white wines, the 2024 Versante Nord is a blend of varieties sourced from six different vineyards at varying altitudes from the north side of the valley, which receives more sunlight during the day. This wine offers a wealth of power, with notes of salted pineapples, fresh sage, smoky earth, and saline. It’s bright with acidity, salinity, and a light wild side, though very well-managed. It had been bottled just three weeks earlier, so this tasting was a preview prior to its release. Drink over the coming 8-10 years.

Winemaker Description

Vibrant and mineral-driven white from the cooler northern slopes of Mt. Etna. Made from native Sicilian varieties grown on volcanic soils, it’s a wine of precision, tension, and layered complexity. Saline, citrusy, and full of energy, this is a must-try for lovers of terroir-expressive whites. A rising star from one of Etna’s most exciting young winemakers.

To get an idea of what this wine is, Eric Guido of Vinous Media said of last year’s vintage - 91 Points - A pretty blend of crushed yellow apples, lemon zest and ginger wafts up from the 2023 Uve Bianche Versant Nord. It splashes across the palate with tart orchard fruits and crunchy mineral tones enlivened by a core of sour citrus. Spice nuances embellish the close. This ends with a flowery concentration and sour lime, crisply refreshing yet potent and long. Fantastic.

Expert Review - Vintage 2023 

Decanter 91 Points | This Frappato from 40-year-old vines in Vittoria. is vinified using wild yeasts, followed by a 20- to 30-day maceration then maturation for 18 months, 30% in large Slavonian oak barrels and 70% in concrete. Sweet and leafy red fruit scents introduce an energetic palate; intense, airy and tangy. It's light and juicy but with clear verticality which is supported by chalky tannins. Organic. Drink 2023-2027.

Winemaker Description

Frappato was born from my childhood dream of making a wine that tastes like the land I work, the air I breathe, and my own thoughts. It is tart, sanguine and elegant. It is Vittoria and the Iblei mountains. It is the wine that most resembles me, courageous, original and rebellious. He has peasant origins, which is why he loves his roots and the past he carries within. 

Arianna is the niece of Giusto Occhpinti, whose COS wines are undisputedly amongst the very best of Sicily. In 1998, Giusto invited her to help him out at Vinitaly for four days. Arianna was 16 at the time and knew nothing about wine; the experience was such a good one that she decided to study viticulture and oenology in university. This quickly proved counter-intuitive, since everything she had learned from her uncle (organic viticulture, hand-harvesting, native yeast fermentations) clashed with what she was being taught in school.

The 2023 Frappato comes from multiple certified-organic parcels with vines averaging 40 years old, planted on red-sandy, limestone soils. Light to medium bodied and savory with red floral aromas and spicy red fruit aromas. Energetic fuit and mineral notes appear in the mouth with earthy complexity and delicate tannins on the finish. A chillable red and highly quaffable.

Expert Review 

90 Points Wine Spectator | Iodine, dried fig and roasted almond notes leap from the glass in this finely balanced and creamy Marsala, in a dry style. Hints of singed orange peel and ground clove linger on the finish.

Winemaker Description 

Expert Review - Vintage 2021

Eric Guido of Vinous 92 Points | The 2021 Cerasuolo di Vittoria entices with a dusty bouquet of citrus-laced blackberries, dried violets and sweet smoke. This is pure and lifted in style, communicating undeniable elegance with a silken wave of ripe wild berry fruit that swirls throughout. It finishes classically dry yet only gently tannic, leaving hints of black raspberry and spice to linger. The 2021 is simply stunning today and has the balance to evolve beautifully through medium-term cellaring.

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The grape variety that expresses the character of Sicily’s oenological tradition better than all the others. This wine is meticulously produced using the estate’s finest resources expresses, in absolute purity, with the extraordinary elegance and ability to improve over time. Label drawn by Versace.

Winemaker Description 

The quality and character of Florio embodied by our first Marsala wine. A Superiore aged in oak barrels for at least 24 months under the centuries-old vaulted ceilings of the Florio Wine Cellars, the perfect accompaniment for any occasion. 

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022

Jeb Dunnuck 92 Points | Sourced from six different vineyards at varying altitudes, the 2022 Versante Nord is aged in concrete tank and exhibits perfumed and lifted aromas in the glass, featuring wild raspberries, brambly Mediterranean herbs, dried roses, and dusty earth. It’s pure on the palate, with great energy and peppery spice, as well as lots of focus. It’s a total pleasure to drink now and will drink well over the coming 10 years.

Vinous 92 Points | The 2022 Nerello Mascalese Versante Nord entices with a dusty blend of rose petals, wild strawberries and sweet spice. This is soothingly round with a pretty inner sweetness and depths of ripe red and blue fruits that swirl across a stream of juicy acidity. It tapers off long and staining, just gently tannic, ending with a wild blueberry and blood orange saturation. The 2022 aims to please.

Expert Review - Vintage 2023 

Vinous 92 Points | The 2023 Etna Rosso Pietradolce is a dark and brooding effort with a whiff of flowery underbrush and ashen stone giving way to crushed black cherry. Silky smooth, it sweeps across the palate with ripe wild berry fruit and a collage of sweet spice, all guided by juicy acidity. The 2023 leaves a saturation of primary concentration and a tinge of tart blackberry while finishing with tension. This is far from an easy-drinking, simple Rosso. It should excel through medium-term cellaring.

A vivid, high-altitude red from the cooler northern slopes of Mt. Etna. Made primarily from Nerello Mascalese, it showcases bright red fruit, volcanic minerality, and savory herbal notes. Elegant and energetic, it reflects Eduardo’s minimalist, organic approach and deep connection to Etna’s rugged terroir.

Eric Guido commented of the 2022 vintage - 92 Points - The 2022 Nerello Mascalese Versante Nord entices with a dusty blend of rose petals, wild strawberries and sweet spice. This is soothingly round with a pretty inner sweetness and depths of ripe red and blue fruits that swirl across a stream of juicy acidity. It tapers off long and staining, just gently tannic, ending with a wild blueberry and blood orange saturation. The 2022 aims to please. 

High-altitude, volcanic red that captures the wild beauty of Mt. Etna’s northern slopes. Made primarily from Nerello Mascalese and other native Sicilian varieties, this wine is lifted and aromatic, with notes of red berries, herbs, crushed stone, and spice. Elegant yet energetic, "Quota N" reflects Eduardo’s low-intervention style and deep respect for Etna’s terroir. A pure and soulful expression of Sicilian winemaking.

Eduardo acquired this flat, half-hectare parcel of ungrafted, 80 to 100 year-old, co-planted bush vines. The vines are a a field blend of of red and white grapes. 

It is surrounded by stone walls at the high elevation of 1070 meters in the contrada. The parcel is named Germana for its historical family owner.Eduardo was not allowed to use this name and was also not permiited to use the Nave contrada name, because the site is too high to fall within DOC Etna Rosso rules.

Expert Review - Vintage 2024

Vinous 93 Points | The first of the two white wines, the 2024 Versante Nord is a blend of varieties sourced from six different vineyards at varying altitudes from the north side of the valley, which receives more sunlight during the day. This wine offers a wealth of power, with notes of salted pineapples, fresh sage, smoky earth, and saline. It’s bright with acidity, salinity, and a light wild side, though very well-managed. It had been bottled just three weeks earlier, so this tasting was a preview prior to its release. Drink over the coming 8-10 years.

Winemaker Description 

This wine offers a strikingly pure expression of Mt. Etna’s eastern slopes. Grown on volcanic soils at high elevation, this white blend is taut, mineral, and refreshingly saline, with notes of citrus zest, herbs, and crushed rock. A brilliant new bottling from one of Etna’s most exciting voices—available now on pre-sale in limited quantities.

Eric Guido also last year assigned 91 Points to this plot- and said as follows of the 2023 vintage - Crushed rocks, dried flowers, raw almonds and freshly sliced nectarines form a savory bouquet as the 2023 Carricante Versante Est opens in the glass. Nearly salty in character, it washes across the palate with ease, showing tart orchard fruits and hints of lemony custard. The 2023 finishes with medium length, leaving a pleasant chamomile air to linger.

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The Wine Spectator 90 Points | A juicy snap of plum skin acidity animates flavors of plumped cherry, mulberry and dried marjoram, with minerally earth and iron accents. An elegant version, with good expression through the lightly chewy finish.

Our Professional Review 

Bart Hopkins of 67Wine.com writes | Made from 50 year old organic and Biodynamically grown Nero d’Avola vines, the 2020 Contrada is a beautifully crafted, totally natural Sicilian red wine. The bouquet is deep and rich with earthy plum and dark berry and licorice aromas that mingle playfully with notes of exotic spices. In the mouth the flavors are seductive and elegant with purity, freshness and detailed complexity. An exceptionally unique expression of Nero d’Avola.
Bart Hopkins

Winemaker Description 

Unfined and Unfiltered. A pure old vine expression of Sicilian terroir! The Terre Nere vineyards are located at extremely high altitudes - 2100' to 2900' above sea level. The hot sun, cool breeze and cold nights make Terre Nere wines extroadinarily fine and elegant. A brilliant cohesion of craft, skill and deliciousness.

Winemaker Description 

Distinguished by its ruby red color and a fresh bouquet of red berry fruits and sweet spices. Round on the palate, with a lively acidity, the wine is well balanced and persistent.

As is the case with the Nero d’Avola variety, Frappato also demonstrates Sicily’s full winemaking potential, able to produce a powerful, persistent and very elegant wine that inspires the taster from its very first olfactory notes, which characterise it in an unmistakable manner. Label drawn by Carolina Marengo.

Frappato is ideal with fresh cheeses, cold cuts and full-flavored fish dishes.

Distinguished by its ruby red color and a fresh bouquet of red berry fruits and sweet spices. Round on the palate, with a lively acidity, the wine is well balanced and persistent.

As is the case with the Nero d’Avola variety, Frappato also demonstrates Sicily’s full winemaking potential, able to produce a powerful, persistent and very elegant wine that inspires the taster from its very first olfactory notes, which characterise it in an unmistakable manner. Label drawn by Carolina Marengo.

Frappato is ideal with fresh cheeses, cold cuts and full-flavored fish dishes.

A striking single-vineyard expression from the sandy, mineral-rich soils of Mt. Etna’s northwestern flank. Made primarily from old-vine Nerello Mascalese, it offers fine tannins, bright red fruit, and a savory, stony core. This is one of Eduardo’s most refined and site-specific wines—elegant, earthy, and deeply expressive of Etna’s unique terroir.

Eric Guido said of the 2022 vintage - 94+ Points - The 2022 Nerello Mascalese Arenaria takes its time in the glass. It is darkly floral and spiced with a smoldering blend of blackberries and grilled herbs offset by a tinge of tangerine. This impresses further with its combination of tart wild berries and zesty citrus tones elevated by juicy acidity over a stream of silken textures. Complex yet wildly energetic, the 2022 leaves the palate reeling as licorice comes together with black raspberry and cocoa over a bed of fine-grained tannins. The Arenaria is painfully young today yet full of potential, displaying incredible depth and refinement. In a word, spellbinding."

The 2022 Nerello Mascalese Pirrera is impossible to ignore. It blends crushed blackberries with lavender pastille and hints of candied citrus and spice. This is zesty, with a reverberation of brisk acidity and masses of mineral-doused wild berry fruits. The 2022 finishes with medium length and a chalky concentration, leaving the cheeks puckered with youthful poise as hints of tart blackberry slowly taper off.

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A wine with a Mediterranean charcter born from the combination of an indigenous grape variety, Inzolia, and the most important international white grape variety, Chardonnay. Intense aromas of flowers and white pulp fruit, from peach to golden aplle. Full and vibrant sip, with a persistent final return of citrus notes. The sculpture of prickly pears on the label is by great ceramist Giocamo Alessi from Caltagirone.

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Syrah has a long history of cultivation on the island of Sicily with first records mentioning it in 1868. After decades of evolving and adapting to the region’s unique terroir, the Sallier de La Tour family became convinced of the varietal’s potential to thrive in the Monreale area where the soils are rich in potassium and the natural springs found under the vineyards allow the grapes to retain freshness.

The vineyards’ exposition and proximity to the sea allow for even and optimal ripening and the resulting wines display the fruit, balance and elegance indicative of the Syrah grape.

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The Wine Advocate 92 Points | This is a large production of 85,000 bottles that sources its fruit from various plots planted in 2004 and 2007 at 600 meters in elevation on terraces made with volcanic rocks. The Tenuta Tascante 2022 Etna Rosso Ghiaia Nera offers focused fruit aromas of redcurrant and cranberry. The wine shows a dark ruby color and medium texture. Its informal personality would match a plate of home-cooked pasta or a wood-oven pizza.

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Made with selected grapes grown on lava terraces at an average altitude of 720 m above sea level, these Etna wines represent a unique combination of the typical elegance of mountain wine and minerality due to volcanic origin. The extraordinary wealth of minerals in Etna's volcanic soils is the source of the very sapid and typical flavor of the wines produced here.  The quality of the soil is closely tied to Etna’s volcanic origins, as it was formed through the disintegration of lavas with different compositions and from different eras, and eruptive materials such as sands, ashes, pumice stone and “lapilli”. Even the climate distinguishes the Etna area respect to the rest of Sicily. The average temperatures on the mountains are lower and the climate also changes depending on the slope and the altitude. From a winemaking standpoint, the wine diurnal temperature range is fundamental, as it gives the wines their freshness and elegant aromas.