Feudo Maccari, Grillo, Sicily 2016

Just over a mile from the sea on the southern tip of the island of Sicily, Antonio Moretti, owner of Tenuta Sette Ponti and Poggio al Lupo in Tuscany, established Feudo Maccari in 2000. This 250-acre estate was assembled from numerous owners and more than 50 separate plots on the southerly hillsides near the town of Noto. Vines existed in some parcels, and others were planted to the native Nero d’Avola and other selected red grape varieties.

Cultivation and winemaking follow the demands of the harsh climate and the pursuit of quality. Yields are restricted, and the fruit is treated gently and given the temperature-controlled fermentation that results in the finest-quality Sicilian wines.

Their Grillo (name of the grape) bottling comes from Alberello trained (bush trained) vines of an average of 20 years old, planted with a southern exposure at 250 feet elevation, about one mile from the sea. Yields are a low 3.75 tons/acre, to encourage aromatic depth and flavor complexity. In the spring, the vines are pruned to one bud per plant, and in June/July, a green harvest eliminates lesser grapes. Twenty days prior to harvest, there’s an additional cluster thinning, or a selection of the best grapes in the bunch. To develop superior aromas and texture, the wine undergoes a 15-day cold maceration before fermentation with regular punching down, and is aged in steel tanks rather than oak to retain the grape’s fresh, crisp and fruity characters.