Marvelous Marsala from Florio

Get free shipping on these wines online today.

Of all the celebrated wines in Italy that do not receive the recognition they deserve, perhaps no wine is as given little attention today as Marsala. This is a shame – un gran peccato as they say in Italy, as Marsala was the most famous wine from Sicily for hundreds of years; today, it is still important, but as producers on this island focus more on table wines today, a lightly sweet fortified wine such as Marsala seems to be considered a thing of the past. Un gran peccato, veramente as a top-flight Marsala that has been aged for many years at the winery can truly be one of the world’s great wines.

Marsala is a fortified wine produced in far western Sicily near Trapani; salt is a major product of this area as well and certainly one of the postcard images of this zone are the windmills that stand sentinel over the salt pans. The often torrid conditions here, somewhat tempered by breezes from the nearby sea, are ideal for ripening white grapes that are the source of a wine that reaches 18% to 19% alcohol. The primary grape used is Grillo, which tends to perform well in the heat; Cataratto grapes are also used in some blends, but clearly Grillo is the base of the finest examples.

I recently sampled five different examples of Marsala from Cantine Florio, a company founded in 1833, that is one of Marsala’s – and Sicily’s – most historic cellars. Today Florio is part of the giant company ILLVA Saranno Holding spa, which also includes Duca Enrico and Corvo wines from other areas of Sicily. Clearly the funding from this company has kept Florio a thriving wine estate, today producing some 3.5 million bottles of wine per year. But it has also remained a traditional Marsala producer, making several different versions, from the simple to the sublime.

Here are thoughts on the five different offerings of Florio Marsala I tasted:

2009 Marsala Superiore Secco “Vecchioflorio” - When you mention Marsala to Americans, most of them have an image of a cooking wine; this bottle is probably what they have in mind. A blend of Grillo and Cataratto aged for 30 months in Slavonian oak (the typical large barrels used in Marsala and many other Italian wine zones), this has a light amber color with aromas of caramel, molasses and hints of Scotch whisky. This is clean and well made with a light sweetness and should be consumed over the next six to ten months.

2001 Marsala Superiore Riserva Semisecco “Targa Riserva 1840″ – 100% Grillo aged for six years in Slavonian oak. Light amber with aromas of caramel and hints of butterscotch. Medium-bodied with an off-dry finish of good length. Nicely balanced – best consumed over the next 12-18 months.

2000 Marsala Vergine “Terre Arse” – 100% Grillo aged for more than ten years in Slavonian oak (the term vergine refers to a Marsala that has been aged at least five years in oak). Light amber with aromas of heather, caramel and hazelnut. Medium-full with very good persistence and a lengthy finish with a light hint of sweetness. Good balancing acidity keeps this wine delicate in the mouth. Enjoy over the next 3-5 years.

1998 Marsala Vergine “Florio Baglio” - 100% Grillo aged for ten years in old 300 liter casks. Lovely caramel, honey and heather aromas. Medium-full with very good concentration. Rich, dry finish with excellent persistence, very good acidity and a light nuttiness. Beautifully made – enjoy over the next 5-7 years. Excellent

Marsala Superiore Riserva “Donnafranca” – Dedicated to Franca Icona di San Giuliano, known as Donnafranca, the queen of Palermo. 100% Grillo aged for more than fifteen years in 300 liter botti. Deep amber with intoxicating aromas of caramel, hazelnut, chocolate, orange peel and marzipan. Medium-full with excellent concentration, this coats the palate and glides to a lengthy, graceful finish with delicate sweetness, outstanding persistence and impressive complexity. So rich and yet so elegantly styled. Enjoy now and over the next 10-12 years – perhaps longer. Outstanding

This collection of various examples of Marsala was a real eye-opener for me, given the quality and various styles. A few of these reminded me of lovely older sherries or Vin Santo and as those wines are celebrated and noted in the international press, one wonders why Marsala is not given similar treatment. Perhaps it is the image of Marsala being something that was enjoyed last century; I imagine for some people, Marsala is not relevant. This is a shame, as the wines are magnificent!

Florio also produces other classic dessert wines of Sicily including Passito di Pantelleria and Malvasia delle Lipari, which I will review in a future post.

Schiopetto – Top 100

Wine Chateau: Buy wine online with us and save.

Carlo Schiopetto (Photo ©Tom Hyland)

The hillsides of the Collio district (the word Collio means “hill”), are the home of some of the most vibrant white wines in the world. Here, varieties such as Friulano, Sauvignon (Blanc), Ribolla Gialla, Pinot Bianco and Ribolla Gialla are farmed to small yields, resulting in deeply concentrated wines that define the soul of this lovely territory in far northeastern Italy. There are certainly several producers from Collio that are among the finest in all of Italy; given their long track record of success as well as their contribution of local wine tradition, Schiopetto is a logical place to start when listing the great Collio wine estates.

When Mario Schiopetto established his Collio estate in 1965, white wines from this area – and from Italy in general – were rather simple products at best and at worse, dull, slightly oxidized offerings that faded away in just a few years. Schipoetto wanted to produce more complex, more vibrant whites, so traveled first to Germany and France to learn how vintners there made their white wines. Combining these practices, he utilized new technology in his cellars, being among the very first in Italy to use temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks to preserve varietal aromatics as well as freshness and color.

Mario passed away in 2003, leaving his three children – twin brothers Carlo and Giorgio and sister Maria Angela – to continue his work. They have carried on brilliantly, as the Schiopetto white wines (there are also two reds produced) are wines of superb complexity, richness on the palate, brilliant varietal purity and notable structure. These are wines that drink beautifully upon release, but improve with 3-7 years in the bottle, depending on the variety as well as the particular vintage.

I recently tasted four of the Schiopetto 2010 whites and found that each wine offered complexity and tremendous style. The Pinot Bianco has lovely quince and apple aromas along with distinct spice; there is very good acidity and persistence and I’d expect this wine to drink well for another 3-7 years. The Blanc de Rosis, a blend of Friulano, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon, Malvasia and Pinot Grigio has inviting Anjou pear and tea leaf aromas, excellent persistence and a light nuttiness in the finish. This is an expressive, complex wine that should peak in another 5-7 years.

My two favorites Schiopetto whites are the Sauvignon and the Friulano. Sauvignon from Friuli is at its most interesting when it is a vigorous, almost assertive wine and in that respect, the 2010 Schiopetto succeeds marvelously. Brilliant light yellow with aromas of spearmint and Anjou pear, this is medium-full on the palate with wonderful texture and bright fruit. This receives no oak maturation, but is given 8 months of lees aging before bottling. There is vibrant acidity and excellent persistence. This is an excellent Sauvignon which will drink beautifully for the next 5-7 years.

My favorite of the Schiopetto whites from 2010 (and often my favorite every year, as it is a toss up between this and the Sauvignon) is the Friulano. Friulano is somewhat of a chameleon grape in this region, as local terroir is a key characteristic of this variety; I have tasted examples that are more fruit-driven, while others tend to feature more of a minerality. This has beautiful aromas of golden apple, Anjou pear, quince and chamomile; there is excellent persistence and vibrant acidity along with outstanding complexity. This is an outstanding wine and among the two or three very best examples of Friulano produced each year, a statement I make without any doubt and one that confirms the brilliance of the wines of this great winemaking family in Collio.

The wines of Schiopetto are imported in the US by Vintus, Pleasantville, NY.

The Real Story of Brunello di Montalcino

Brunello di Montalcino, one of the world’s most celebrated red wines, is particularly loved and appreciated in America. Approximately one in every four bottles of this wine is sold in this country, as consumers seemingly have identified Brunello as their favorite premium Italian wine. The fact that it’s from Tuscany doesn’t hurt, but it’s also become a bit of a status symbol among American wine drinkers, even more so than its Italian counterparts, Barolo and Amarone.

Yet few consumers really know a great deal about this wine, the territory where it is produced or the individuals who make it. The Brunello marque is so strong, the identity of this wine so associated with grandeur, that few consumers can name more than a handful of estates that craft this wine. The fact that they can drink a bottle of Brunello is what’s most important in the eyes of many.

Given this view, it’s wonderful that Kerin O’Keefe has just written Brunello di Montalcino: Understanding and Appeciating one of Italy’s Greatest Wines (312 pages, University of California Press, Berkeley, CA, $39.95). O’Keefe, an American who has been living in Italy since 1991, began writing about Italian wines a few years after that and today, is one of the world’s leading journalists on the subject, contributing articles to such publications as Decanter and The World of Fine Wine among others. Personally, I have known Kerin for about a decade, when I first met her – appropriately enough – at a tasting in Montalcino. She is a trusted colleague and someone who willingly shares her knowledge and opinions.

O’Keefe’s book is worthwhile on so many levels, combining an introduction to the area and its wines in general to a look at recent events and finally, detailed descriptions of a few dozen estates that she considers important as well as influential. One of the primary themes that she drives home in this work is that over the past three decades, the style of Brunello has undergone a serious change, at least with some producers. She writes about the introduction of French barriques – 225 liter barrels – that became fashionable for maturing Brunello in the 1980s and ’90s (and still continues today to some extent). These casks are much smaller than the large oak barrels known as botti that were the traditional vessels used to age the wines in this area. As botti range in size from 20 to 60 hectoliter – or 2000 to 6000 liters – these casks gave far less wood influence to the wines, allowing for greater varietal character (Brunello di Montalcino must of course, be produced entirely from the Sangiovese grape).

The reason why some producers made the switch to the smaller barrels, according to the author, was to try and earn a high score from one of the influential wine publications that were rewarding California and French wines – as well as the infamous Super Tuscans made from international varieties – for their dark colors and super ripe fruit qualities. O’Keefe describes the characteristics of these barrique-aged wines as having “intense chocolate, vanilla and toast influences of new oak;” for the author, this was not beneficial for a wine made with Sangiovese, as the oak flavors “weighed down the variety’s vibrant cherry-berry and mineral sensations.” She is clearly opposed to barriques – she labels this trend in Montalcino as “the dark side” – and she also quotes area producers who explain why barriques significantly alter the true character of a Brunello, resulting in a loss of tradition as some producers opted for instant fame. (The author is also quick to point out that thankfully, there are still many estates that have stayed with the time-honored ways of producing Brunello.)

O’Keefe also goes into great detail about the infamous Brunello scandal of 2008, when it was reported that the prosecutor of Siena had charged four producers with using varieties other than Sangiovese in their Brunello. Given the deep ruby red and purple colors of some of the examples, journalists had been suspecting this for several years, but now here it was officially out in the open. Much was written over the past three years about this sorry affair (not all of it true); O’Keefe’s account of this situation is the best version I have read, not only for its attention to detail, but also in its fairness (she lets one of the accused producers have his say about his winery’s involvement).

Francesco Marone Cinzano, Proprietor, Col d’Orcia  - Col d’Orcia is one of the leading producers of Brunello in the traditional style and one of the author’s favorites. (Photo ©Tom Hyland)

The author takes a close look at the best producers of Brunello, organizing them by subzone and explaining why the best wines take on a sense of the local terroir. Among her favorites are companies such as Col d’Orcia, Poggio di Sotto, Lisini and Biondi-Santi (the author had previously penned a book on this last producer.) She writes about their particular conditions, both in the vineyards and the cellar and contributes a nice summary of the characteristics of each particular wine from these vintners. I love the fact that O’Keefe has omitted several famous Brunello producers, as they favor a modern approach not in step with her likes, while for some producers (such as Banfi), she includes them for their influence, but at the same time, takes them to task for their business practices as well as the style of their wines.

O’Keefe ends the book with a section entitled, “Beyond Brunello,” in which she describes other wines of the area (Rosso di Montalcino, Sant’Antimo, e.g.) as well as lending some valuable tips on pairing Brunello with local foods. This section alone, particularly the food and wine recommendations, should prove to be of invaluable help to anyone touring this area or trying to impress friends at dinner.

In an era where there is so much misinformation about any number of wines and wine news, it’s refreshing to read the work of an author who not only knows her subject in great detail, but one who is opinionated and tells her story in an engaging fashion. Whether you are just discovering Brunello di Montalcino or have been enjoying these wines for decades, this book is highly recommended.

Simply Sublime

One Italian white wine, one red- one famous, one unknown – both great.

Today’s lesson on the joys and wonders of Italian wine has to do with the pleasure of discovering greatness in different places. I’m going to focus on two wines – one of which is famous and one of which is not. Both are remarkable wines.

The white wine – the one that’s not well known outside of its immediate zone – is the 2010 Terre del Principe Pallagrello Bianco. This small producer (less than 5000 cases per year) specializes in indigenous varieties in their territory, the province of Caserta in Campania. Now I love Campanian whites, but most of the examples I try are either Greco di Tufo and Fiano di Avellino from the province of Irpinia (aka Avellino) or a wine made from Falanghina, which is planted in all five provinces of Campania. These wines are the calling cards for Campanian whites and they are enjoyed the world over.

But when it comes to Pallagrello Bianco (there is also a Rosso), this wine is rarely seen outside of its native surroundings. It’s suffered from a mistaken identity, as for years it was thought to be Coda di Volpe, a variety commonly used in Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio Bianco, a charming, if ultimately a rather undistinguished white wine from vineyards not far from Vesuvius. Pallagrello yields a white wine of much greater complexity and Peppe Mancini and Manuela Piancastelli do a superb job in capturing all the glories of this variety. My notes for this 2010 – aged solely in steel tanks – list the inviting aromatics of lemon zest, grapefruit and orange poppies. This has excellent depth of fruit, beautiful texture and a long, very flavorful finish with lively acidity. This is elegant and quite delicious and it’s going to be quite a pleasure over the next 2-3 years, especially with lighter seafood. This is quite a vibrant white that has widespread appeal – I’d love to try this with Thai or other Oriental cuisine as well. (Suggested retail price of $34. Imported by Vias Wines, New York, NY).

As far as a red wine that every Italian wine lover knows, Brunello di Montalcino is at or near the top of the charts. This illustrious wine, produced exclusively from Sangiovese, is a world-class red that can age for decades. Col d’Orcia, under the leadership of Francesco Marone Cinzano, is one of the most renowned estates in Montalcino, crafting examples of Brunello of uncommon class and elegance.

The Poggio al Vento Riserva bottling is from a single vineyard planted in 1974; situated some 1150 feet above sea level, the soil here is primarily limestone with a strong presence of gravel. The wine is aged in large casks (botti grandi) of Slavonian as well as French oak for four years. It is then bottled and rests two years in the cellars before being released.

This long period of aging certainly helps refine the wine and give it a lengthy mid-palate with deep fruit flavors that coat every corner of your mouth. The 2004 bottling, just being released, is another exceptional example of this wine, one that is produced only from the finest vintages (the three previous releases were 2001, 1999 and 1998). There are textbook aromas of red cherry and cedar along with a hint of fennel; overall, the wine is beautifully structured with very good acidity, subtle wood notes and outstanding complexity. This should reach peak maturity in 20-25 years, although I may be a bit conservative in the guess, especially based on previous releases of this wine. It is a sublime example of what a great Brunello di Montalcino is all about.

The 2004 Col d’Orcia Brunello di Montalcino Riserva “Poggio al Vento” has a suggested retail price of $150. Given the limited production (about 2000 cases for the entire world) as well as the fact that it is not produced every year along with the tremendous breeding and class of this wine, this price is undoubtedly just (there’s also the happy situation of this 2004 riserva just being released, while most producers are now offering their 2006s as their riserva). Imported by Palm Bay, Boca Raton, FL.

2008 Barolo – First Thoughts

I’ve recently tasted a dozen examples of Barolo from the 2008 vintage and while only 12 wines is hardly overwhelming evidence, it’s enough for me to offer my first thoughts on wines from this year. I’d say right now, this should shape up as an excellent Barolo vintage – not powerful, but beautifully balanced, with lovely aromas and fine structure.

2008 was not as warm as 2007 or 2009 in the Barolo zone, so this gives the wines a more subdued character when compared to those vintages. 2007 was certainly somewhat of an “international” vintage, with its forward fruit and approachability upon release. There were plenty of cool nights during 2007 to offset the warm days, so the wines are nicely balanced and if not a classic vintage, certainly a very successful one. 2009 may shape up in much the similar way, but this is only a guess, as these wines won’t be released for another 15-18 months.

As 2008 was cooler than 2007 or 2009, the wines are more classically oriented, meaning this is more of a Piemontese vintage. That means the wines are a bit shy upon release, but offer excellent structure as well as a greater notion of sense of place or terroir. Now 2006 was also more of a Piemontese vintage, but the Barolos from that year are bigger wines, ones that need more time to come around and show their best qualities. The best 2006 Barolos are destined for optimum drinking some 25 years or more down the road. I’d say that the time frame for the 2008s is a bit less – perhaps 15-20 for most. Again, I’ve only tasted a dozen and though that hasn’t included some of the most renowned bottlings, I’ve certainly tasted some impressive offerings.

So the 2008s are middle weight Barolos with beautiful balance, very good acidity and impressive complexity. To me, they’re somewhat reminiscent of 2005, which are among the most beautifully balanced of the decade. Those wines, like the 2008s may not win the award for the longest-lived Barolos, but they certainly are beautifully styled.

Here are a few notes on my favorite 2008 Barolos to date:

Luigi Einaudi Costa Grimaldi- Costa Grimaldi is a selezione of the finest grapes from the Terlo cru in the Barolo commune. Beautiful aromas of dried cherry, thyme and cedar. Elegant entry; generous mid-palate. Lovely finesse and balance- best in 15-20 years.

Mauro Sebaste Prapo (Serralunga d’Alba) – Lovely aromas of dried cherry, currant, cedar and a touch of balsamic. Wonderful complexity and balance, this is a subtle, beautifully made Barolo with a nice sense of finesse. A traditionally made Barolo with classic overtones. Best in 15-20 years.

Marcarini La Serra - This great traditional producer makes two cru Barolos from La Morra. Floral aromas of red roses, carnation, dried cherry, coriander and nutmeg. Very good concentration and acidity with silky tannins and precise acidity. Best in 12-15 years.

Marcarini Brunate - Aromas of red cherry, cumin and cedar. Medium-full; very good acidity and persistence; subtle wood notes and polished tannins. A bit richer on the palate than the La Serra; best in 15-20 years.

Conterno Fantino Sori Ginestra (Monforte d’Alba) – Classic aromas of red cherry, orange peel, currant and cedar. Excellent concentration; rich mid-palate with layers of fruit.  Beautifully structured wine; very good acidity, excellent persistence with wood notes that are nicely integrated. A touch of modernity; beautiful complexity and varietal character. Best in 20 years plus.

Ca’ Rome Cerretta (Serralunga d’Alba) – Aromas of cedar, dried cherry, orange peel and sandalwood. Rich mid-palate, lovely balance, excellent persistence, very good acidity and refined tannins. Nice expression of Serralunga terroir. Best in 15-20 years.

Luigi Einaudi Cannubi (Barolo) – Red cherry, red rose and cedar aromas; medium-full with very good concentration. Tightly wound, this is rich with young balanced tannins, good acidity and persistence. Best in 15-20 years.

Cascina Bongiovanni Pernanno (Castiglione Falletto) – Currant, dried orange peel, dried cherry and cedar aromas – very classy! Medium-full, very good acidity and persistence with balanced tannins and nicely integrated oak. Best in 12-15 years.

Uniquely Italian

As I’m tasting Italian wines, from time to time I’ll note a wine that I label a crowd pleaser. This is a wine, be it red white, rosé or sparkling that has forward, tasty fruit with good ripeness and a clean, round finish. These are wines that appeal to just about everyone, be they beginning wine tasters or those that have been drinking wines for decades.

It’s great to find such bottles, but then I realized something. Many of the Italian wines I prefer the most are the ones that aren’t crowd pleasers. These are wines that have fruit, but a lot of other characteristics in the nose and on the palate,. Often they have an earthy, herbaceous finish that might have one day been called rustic. These are wines that have higher acidity than what many wine drinkers are used to – this is true in the reds as well as the whites – and they are, at their best, wines that truly reflect a sense of place. These are authentic Italian wines and like most of the finest things in life, they’re not for everyone. But if you give them a try, if you go out of your normal wine routine for just a bit, you too may discover the pleasure of these authentic Italian gems.

Here are a few I tasted recently:

2009 Ippolito 1845 Ciro Rosso Superiore “Liber Pater” – Let’s face it – the wines of Calabria are never going to be hip. But they are flavorful, distinct and authentic. Ippolito 1845 (named for the year the winery was established) is a medium-size producer in Calabria that produces Ciro Rosso, a tangy wine made entirely from the local Gaglioppo grape. This selection is medium-bodied with aromas of dried cherry and oregano and an earthy finish with notes of poricini mushrooms and tobacco; this is definitely an earthy or “rustic” wine; drink this with red meats, stews, game, ribs or even pizza over the next 2-3 years. ($20 suggested retail- imported by Wine Emporium, Brooklyn, NY)

2010 Bio Vio Pigato di Albegna “Marene” - Many wine lovers don’t even realize that Liguria is a serious wine producing region; after all, how many Ligurian wines have most of us tasted? This biological producer makes an excellent version of Pigato from the local white variety. Medium-bodied and aged solely in stainless steel, this has inviting aromas of golden apple, saffron, jasmine and dried pear with lively acidity and a dry finish highlighted by notes of salted almond; this character is derived from the proximity of the vineyards to the sea. Wonderful with most shellfish over the next 1-2 years. ($22 suggested retail – imported by Wine Emporium, Brooklyn, NY)

2010 Tenuta Cocci Grifone Pecorino “Colle Vecchio”- I’ll admit that the style of this wine is a bit more attuned to the majority of consumers’ likes than most of the other wines in this post, so the reason I’m including this is the grape variety. Everyone knows that pecorino is a wonderful type of cheese made from sheep’s milk, but how many know that there is a grape variety named Pecorino? There are plantings in both the Abruzzo and Marche regions; this one comes from the Offida DOC area in southern Marche. Cocci Grifoni, a winery established in 1970, has been refining their efforts with this variety over the past decade and the 2010 is a lovely offering, imbued with flavors of Bosc pear and pippin apple along with notes of jasmine and white flowers. It’s been aged exclusively in steel, so as not to dampen the bright fruit and it’s also got lovely acidity and a round, tart finish. Try this with lighter poultry dishes or delicate seafood over the next 1-2 years – it’s also delicious on its own! ($16- nicely priced. Imported by Empson, USA, Alexandria, VA).

2010 Corte dei Papi Cesanese del Piglio “Colle Ticchio” - The deep ruby red/light purple color of this wine might make you think this is an internationally-styled fruit bomb, but that’s clearly not the case. This is from Lazio, made entirely from the Cesanese variety and aged only in steel tanks. The aromas are quite distinct – tobacco, blackberry, bitter chocolate and roasted meat! Medium-bodied, this is ripe with a clearly defined rustic finish. This is not something you’d just grab a glass of on its own, but with game, spicy pastas and grilled foods, it’s a delight! Enjoy this over the next 2-3 years. ($18 – imported by Vias, New York City, NY)

2010 Strasserhof Kerner - Here is a beautifully structured and delicious white from Valle Isarco in northern Alto Adige. The Kerner variety is found in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, but almost nowhere else but Alto Adige in Italy. This 2010 version from this renowned producer has explosive aromas of yellow peach, apricot and orange rind, backed by excellent concentration and persistence with lively acidity and a rich, dry finish. Pear this with Thai or Oriental cuisine or with turkey; it will also age well for another three to five years.  ($31, imported by Vias, New York, NY).