Aside from aroma and taste, a major attraction to wine, for me, is that it makes the world smaller and more accessible. Discovering new wine regions often prompts me to look at a map and to learn more about its people and culture.
Having recently acquired some new releases of rare varietals from Sicily, I used a day of sequestering to discover more about the grapes and the
region that produced them. Located in the Sicilian countryside, southeast of Palermo, the Tenuta Regaleali estate produces 10 different wines, including four single varietal releases of indigenous grapes that, over time, are being replaced in favor of cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay and others.
Tenuta Regaleali is part of the Tasca d’ Almerita family of wines. Although they own other properties in Monreale, Mount Etna and other regions, Tenuta Regaleali is said to be the family’s spiritual and institutional home base, a place where they can experiment with new methods and focus on sustainability with indigenous grapes that are relatively unknown in US markets.
The family has been producing wine at the Regaleali Estate since the mid-
19th century and, over the years, has developed a deeper understanding of the environment, becoming a leader in implementing sustainable farming practices. With one-third of the planet used solely to produce food and our reliance on over 24 billion farm animals, maintaining agricultural practices that help to prevent major environmental impacts and future pandemics is essential. Today, Alberto Tasca d’Almerita is the CEO of the family business and is deeply committed to oversee all of the estates production in the most sensitive manner.
Many of the Tenuta Regaleali wines are blends, but our focus today is on perricone, nero d’Avola, grillo and catarratto, all indigenous grapes created as single varietal releases.blob:https://lifebylyle.wordpress.com/b7f219c2-9944-40f8-b005-58c5af095ca1
Perricone is a little known grape, grown exclusively in Sicily and usually blended with known varietals like nero d’Avola. With high acidity, earthy characteristics and noticeable tannins, perricone is often compared to barbera.
Rich in clay and calcareous soils, the vineyard that produced the fruit for the “Guarnaccio” Perricone Sicilia DOC 2017 ($20) were first planted in
2011. The juice for this wine went through full malolactic fermentation in stainless steel tanks, then was aged for twelve months in French oak barrels.
Nero d’Avola (Black of Avola) is the most commonly grown grape in Sicily, named after the city of Avola where it was first planted. It is often compared to syrah with red fruit and peppery spice flavors.
First created in 2002, the Lamuri Nero d’Avola Sicilia DOC 2016 ($20), like the perricone release, has gone through full malolactic fermentation and was aged in French oak for twelve months and another three in the bottle before release. Brilliant ruby in color, the Lamuri 2016 has a complex
bouquet of ripe fruit, spice and herbs. Expressive rich texture and soft tannins make it a bargain for the price and prompted high ratings from Robert Parker, James Suckling and others.
Grillo, a cross between moscato and catarratto, has been widely grown in Sicily for more than a century. The fruit for the Grillo Cavallo delle Fate Sicilia DOC 2018 ($20) are a blend of grapes picked at different harvest
periods. The estate credits those picked early for adding minerality and those later for its structure. Fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks, the 2018 vintage reveals stone and tropical fruit aromas and an expressive minerality that lasts through the finish. It is another exceptional value for the price.
Over centuries, the catarratto grape has been one of Sicily’s most common, becoming more rare with the infusion of other, more modern varietals. For me, the “Antisa” Catarratto Sicilia DOC 2018 ($22) was the best wine of
the four that I tasted. The flavors combined the tartness of grapefruit with complex stone and tropical fruits flavors and
solid mineral elements.
Juice for the “Antisa” maintains contact with the skins for 18 days, giving it a golden straw color. It then was aged in stainless steel on lees for another four months. True to the meaning of its nickname, this 100 percent catarratto release is highly praiseworthy.
Aside from producing fine wines, the Tenuta Regaleali estate is a destination with first-class lodging, dining, cooking classes and all the amenities needed to enjoy the treasures of Sicily. However, with today’s travel restrictions, their wines can still be obtained through several on-line sites.
lifebylyle 
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