Here at Provisions, we’re huge fans of the wines produced in Sicily, particularly from the island’s volcano, Mount Etna. Etna is Europe’s tallest active volcano and still has minor eruptions from time to time, creating incredibly fertile soil laden with volcanic rocks that brings a bright acidity and crunchy minerality to the wine. In fact, the volcano is so active that lava often threatens the mountain’s top vineyards, some of which are planted as high as 3,900 feet above sea level! At that altitude many of the vineyards see a fair bit of snow in the winter and the temperature can drop dramatically when the sun goes down. Despite the cool climate, vineyards on the volcano tend to achieve excellent ripeness due to the amount of sun reflecting up the mountain from the surrounding Mediterranean waters.
The island of Sicily has long been famous for its many indigenous grape varieties, but on Etna Nerello Mascalese and Carricante are grape royalty. Don’t be fooled by Nerello Mascalese’s pale color, this grape has a wonderful balance of bright red fruit, berries, earthy minerality and classic Italian spice character. Carricante is the flagship white of the island and produces age worthy wines with rich aromas of herbs, slate and citrus.
Barone Villagrande has been run by the Nicolosi family since the start and it remains one of the island’s oldest wineries, having begun wine production in the early 18th century. The family had so much success in wine that by 1727 Don Carmelo Nicolosi was made Baron of Villagrande! A century later, the family would become the first on the island to vinify their red and white grapes into separate wines, breaking with the local tradition of fermenting all the fruit together as a field blend.
The family didn’t stop pushing the envelope in the 20th century, and in 1989 they became one of the island’s first certified organic wineries. The Nicolosi family’s centuries of experience and tradition in both the winery along with their deep-seated commitment to environmentally conscientious farming makes for some truly stunning wines that manage to deliver excellent complexity without sacrificing deliciousness.
Wines:
- Etna Bianco, $30. 95% Carricante and 5% other indigenous Sicilian varieties. This wine has absolutely stunning volcanic minerality and a lovely tingling acidity on the palate. On the nose, there are notes of lemon balm, wet stone, and golden delicious apple. Goes great with shellfish or white fish dishes.
- Etna Rosso, $30. 80% Nerello Mascalese and 20% Nerello Cappucio/Nerello Mantellato. A beautiful, light-bodied red that still has some tannic structure to stand up to food. This wine was aged for a full year in Sicily’s famous chestnut barrels before bottling, lending it a pleasant spice character that is more mild than oak. This dry red shows notes of cranberry, pomegranate and game with a long finish. This wine is the perfect accompaniment to a charcuterie board with lots of cured meats or rich tomato sauce-based dishes.
