Staff Pick Sicilian Wines
Eloro Pachino, “Turi”, Salvatore Marino – 2023 $19.99
After honing his craft at conventional wineries in California and elsewhere in Italy, Salvatore Marino opened his eponymous winery in 2017. Located in Pachino, the southernmost tip of Sicily (Eloro DOC), he’s fashioning soulful wines from local grapes. “Turi” is a BIG red with robust tannins. But a short maceration of the skins in stainless steel plus concrete aging keeps bright red fruit at the front of your palate, with a beautiful vein of freshness coursing through the wine. If you serve slightly chilled, the tannins are more approachable, and the food pairing options become limitless. This is a rich, scrumptious and well-priced option that you can rely on to drink just as nicely with fish as it does with beef, making it ideal for a large feast. It’ll be just as enjoyable after everyone’s plates are cleared, bellies and hearts full. – Brian Brochstein, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant
Etna Bianco, Barone di Villagrande – 2023 $22.99
This is a truly perfect expression of Etna Bianco, at a value that is impossible to beat. Barone di Villagrande is the oldest winery in Sicily dating back to 1727. Located on the east side of Etna in Milo, on the lower slopes Mount Etna’s slopes at an altitude of 700 metres above sea level. The wine in the past was aged in chestnut barrels, instead of the usual oak. Now, to preserve freshness, stainless steel tanks are used and a little oak aging is added to give a subtle note like almond to the finish of this wine. This wine has beautiful tropical citrus notes such as lemon, lime and grapefruit and a balancing herbal note of sage. The pronounced minerality, signature to the volcanic soils of Etna completes this wonderful experience! – Evan Cucciniello, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant
Cerasuolo di Vittoria, Gulfi – 2023 $23.96
Cerasuolo di Vittoria Gulfi is produced in the town of Chiaramonte in the south east side of Sicily. Beside the delicious wine made here, this area has a lot of history. You can visit archeological sites from the bronze age as well as the Greek, the Roman ages. The town was completely destroyed by an earthquake in 1693 and, after that, fully rebuilt. Gulfi farms organically and has a non-interventionist philosophy of winemaking (e.g., they use native yeasts). This careful stewardship is evident in the glass. Made from 50% Frappato and 50% Nero d’Avola it shows blackberry and cherry notes with a hint of spice, all bolstered by a lively acidity. It’s a great weeknight wine, playful and delicious all on its own or paired with seafood and pasta sauces. A true pleasure to drink. – Evan Cucciniello, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant
COS, Frappato – 2023 $25.99
We all owe it to COS to pick up a bottle of their wine. Without the work of the 3 friends who founded the winery, you would have half the variety and quality in this section. They harvested their first vintage in 1980 with the simple ambition of restoring quality to Sicilian winemaking. This involved vinifying native varietals and farming using organic practices and biodynamic principles. Other winemakers followed suit and now Sicily is heralded as one of the great natural wine regions. COS’ Frappato has a predominant character of ripe, juicy red berries. Along with that you’ll find subtle notes of herbs and tea leaves. The tannins are tiny, so serve this at around 50 degrees. I loved it with my salad of smoked duck breast, greens, and sherry vinaigrette. – Chung Park, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant
Nerello Mascalese Vigne Vecchie, Calabretta – 2015 $32.96
Very few of us have the storage space or the time and energy to be cellaring wine. You have to love producers like Calabretta that understand this and age their wines for us. Here you have a declassified Etna Rosso made from organically grown Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio whose vines average 80 years. It’s spent over three years in cask and seven in bottle. It’s a beautiful example of the positive effects of aging. Tannins are still there, but they’ve become dusty and soft. The wine shows a complex melange of flavors as black tea, cinnamon, and dried herb. You can also sense the flavors of balsamic, and earthy mushrooms that have developed over the years. Just loved this with my Korean short ribs the other day. – Chung Park, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant