MandraRossa Fiano 2008
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MandraRossa is a premium range of estate-bottled wines from one of Sicily's most respected and progressive wine producers. Located in the historic town of Menfi in the southwest corner of this idyllic Mediterranean island.
Led by Diego Planeta, president of Settesoli, in the early ‘90s, with single-minded focus, Planeta made an all-out commitment to the creation of top quality wines. He began by planting the best international and local grape varieties and invested extensively in innovative winemaking technology and state-of-the-art equipment. In addition, he formed a distinguished team of winemakers, led by internationally-renowned oenologist Carlo Corino.
The making of these wines began by mapping every parcel of vineyard for aspect, gradient and altitude, so that the ideal terroir for each varietal could be selected for planting. The wines resulting from these intensive efforts were proudly introduced under the MandraRossa name.
The intense Sicilian sun, offset by cooling sea breezes, permits reliable and extended ripening of the grapes. MandraRossa wines are hand-picked, and every harvested parcel is crushed and fermented separately to retain the grapes’ characteristics. Wines from individual parcels are carefully blended for nuanced complexity, yielding delicate scents and harmonious, fresh flavors.
Fiano is an aromatic, white variety fully suited to the Apennine Mountains of Campania and has been documented in the region since the 13th century. It is at its best in the hills of Avellino where volcanic soils give it a charismatic aromatic lift and support a range of styles from taut and steely to nutty and smooth. Somm Secret—If you like Chardonnay, Viognier or Pinot Blanc, Fiano would be a great new wine to try!
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.