Sicilian wines shine with unique, native grapes

As our grand tour of Italian wine nears its final lap, it’s time for a stop in one of the country’s most exciting wine regions: the volcanic island of Sicily.

The largest island in the Mediterranean, its wine history dates back more than 6,000 years and survived the island’s conquest by the Greeks, Phoenicians, Arabs and Italians. Despite being surrounded by water, the island’s dry climate is perfect for growing grapes. Most of the wine produced in Sicily was sent to mainland Italy for bulk wine production in the 20th century. The port city of Marsala and its namesake wine ( see arkansasonline. com/33marsala for more information on that overlooked wine), still played an important role, but the island stayed out of the fine wine game that took over the mainland.

Things began to change in the 1980s as farming and winemaking practices on the island began to improve, and today, Sicilian wines are experiencing a worldwide wave in popularity.

Unfortunately, in Arkansas, we don’t have many Sicilian producers available to us. Thankfully, one that is in the state is of fantastic quality. The Cambria family has owned the Cottanera winery since the 1960s, when hazelnuts were a prized crop. As demand for the nuts waned, they replanted with vines and, now, the majority of their estate vineyards are planted with grape varieties native to the Mount Etna area of the island. These are the wines worth looking for:

Cottanera Barbazzale Rosso

($18)

Made from two unique grapes, 90% nerello Mascalese, 10% nerello cappuccio, this serves as a perfect introduction to Sicilian wine. The palate is balanced with fresh berry notes (think blackberry and raspberry), as well as a bright minerality that makes the wine at once seem hearty and refreshing.

Cottanera Barbazzale Bianco

($18)

The winery’s entry level white showcases the native Sicilian grape catarratto with a small amount of the extra-floral viognier. It’s the perfect catch-all for warm weather on the patio, going especially well with hardto-pair foods like sushi and sashimi.

Cottanera Contrada Diciassettesalme

($28)

I’ll be honest, I have no idea how to pronounce “diciassettesaime,” but I know it’s delicious. This wine is 100% nerello Mascalese, and offers more structure and “seriousness” than the Barbazzale Rosso. Look for notes of dried herb, rose petals and long-lasting tannins.

Cottanera Contrada Feudo di Mezzo

($48)

If you’re a collector and looking for a wine with longterm cellering potential, this is the bottle for you. This is their premier cru bottle of nerello Mascalese, and it shows the grape’s deep, brooding nature to its full potential. More than a year of aging in oak barrels, along with a minimum of 18 months aging in- bottle, means the wine is ready to go as soon as you take it home.