Winemaker Notes
A powerful red, structured on a dense and important tannin texture balanced by a decisive alcoholic content. On the palate – a ripe, very dense and rich fruit. The flavors are bilberry and preserved sour cherries mixed with leather which gradually develop to intense aromas of cherry, cocoa and rosemary.
A wine with attitude, decisive and energetic enough to be enjoyed on its own or matched with something just as strong and full of character such as casseroles or game.
Blend: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
The nose is dark and rich, yet also layered and subtle, with both heavy aromas of petrol and tar and juicier notes of blackberries, figs and dark chocolate. The figs and chocolate carry the palate, though wild herbs and bitter orange give buoyancy. Tannins are unyielding, while acid is more discreet but still perceptible.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Planeta 2018 Sicilia Menfi Burdese is a straightforward expression of Cabernet Sauvignon (70%) and Cabernet Franc (30%) with no strings attached. The wine is soft to the palate with medium-rich layers of ripe cherry, plum, soft earth and leather. The tannins are immediate and soft.
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Wine Spectator
A sleek red firmed by sinewy tannins, with a tang of minerality and balsamico acidity enlivening flavors of ripe red and black currant fruit, herbed olive and cocoa powder.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
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.