Winemaker Notes
This wine has depth on the nose, with dark berries and bright barely-ripe fruits, hints of earth and spice, and a compelling note of something very Italian. The palate is fresh, with ample amounts of bright acidity, an approachable tannic backbone, and fruit that is expressive and driven to accompany the more earthy nature of the grape.
Giovanni Gurrieri’s introduction to his estate, in his own words: ‘The history of Gurrieri, in the panorama of Sicilian viticulture, stems from a family passion. Giovanni and Angela, born and raised with the agricultural and peasant passion of father Vincenzo and mother Graziella who have been producing grapes for fifty years, decided to continue the family tradition and produce grapes, wine, and oil in Sicily, near the little town of Chiaramonte Gulfi, in the province of Ragusa. The dream of making a Sicilian wine which represents the identity of its territory began with the first bottling in 2010. We are in the countryside of the Iblei Mountains, in the fertile Val di Noto, in the area of the only Sicilian DOCG, that of Cerasuolo di Vittoria. Giovanni cultivates his family's 3.2 hectares of land in the Chiaramonte Gulfi and Mazzarrone countryside and also rents about 3 hectares, in Chiaramonte Gulfi. Soils of calcareous origin give richness and complexity. The breezy Mediterranean climate, here characterized by important temperature variation between day and night, gives the wines strength, vigor, aromas and unique flavors. For each label, small quantities are produced: about 3000 bottles. The family cultivates organically, growing native vines such as Nero d’Avola, Frappato, and Grillo. Nero d'Avola, also known as Calabrese, is an ancient Sicilian grape variety. Frappato, a vine native to the Vittoria area, is grown on the farm with measured yields so as to offer particularly sweet and fine tannins. The Frappato vinified in purity gives a wine of great persuasiveness, with intensely fruity aromas. In the classic Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG blend of Nero d’Avola and Frappato, Nero d’Avola adds strength and complexity to this harmonious blend. The wines are born from the meticulous selection of grapes, grown without the use of synthetic chemicals, harvested by hand in two passes to obtain the best result from different maturations, transported in small boxes to avoid mistreating the grapes, chilled, softly crushed and vinified (with long maceration for the reds) in temperature controlled tanks. After the malolactic fermentation, the wine is decanted into wooden barrels or steel tanks where it matures; after bottling, there is a period of aging in the bottle, necessary to fully express the potential.' Cerasuolo di Vittoria is one of Sicily’s best-known wines. It is grown and made near Ragusa, in south-east Sicily, a blend of the local varieties Nero d’Avola and Frappato, both of which are also bottled individually. Frappato is a slightly aromatic red grape, very distinctive in aroma and flavor, whereas Nero d’Avola is a more conventional red variety, sometimes compared to Syrah. I love varietal Frappato for its spicy, aromatic verve, medium weight, and pomegranate character, but the blend with Nero d’Avola is also very successful, taming the wildness of the Frappato a bit. The Gurrieri family produces excellent examples of these classic Sicilian wines, and a varietal Grillo that is very good too. The climate is baking hot (Ragusa is further south than the northern tip of Tunisia) but all the wines are fresh, a testament to the local grape varieties they use and the great care in the vineyard.
Boldly opulent and robust, Nero d’Avola is Sicily’s most widely planted red grape. Nero d’Avola performs well both as a single varietal bottling and in blends. It loves hot, arid climates and Sicily's old vines are aptly head-trained close to the ground, making them resistant to strong winds. A few pioneering producers in California as well as Australia farm Nero d’Avola in the same way. Somm Secret—Nero d’Avola's other name, Calabrese, suggests origins from the mainland region of Calabria.
A large, geographically and climatically diverse island, just off the toe of Italy, Sicily has long been recognized for its fortified Marsala wines. But it is also a wonderful source of diverse, high quality red and white wines. Steadily increasing in popularity over the past few decades, Italy’s fourth largest wine-producing region is finally receiving the accolades it deserves and shining in today's global market.
Though most think of the climate here as simply hot and dry, variations on this sun-drenched island range from cool Mediterranean along the coastlines to more extreme in its inland zones. Of particular note are the various microclimates of Europe's largest volcano, Mount Etna, where vineyards grow on drastically steep hillsides and varying aspects to the Ionian Sea. The more noteworthy red and white Sicilian wines that come from the volcanic soils of Mount Etna include Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio (reds) and Carricante (whites). All share a racy streak of minerality and, at their best, bear resemblance to their respective red and white Burgundies.
Nero d’Avola is the most widely planted red variety, and is great either as single varietal bottling or in blends with other indigenous varieties or even with international ones. For example, Nero d'Avola is blended with the lighter and floral, Frappato grape, to create the elegant, Cerasuolo di Vittoria, one of the more traditional and respected Sicilian wines of the island.
Grillo and Inzolia, the grapes of Marsala, are also used to produce aromatic, crisp dry Sicilian white. Pantelleria, a subtropical island belonging to the province of Sicily, specializes in Moscato di Pantelleria, made from the variety locally known as Zibibbo.