Review: Wines of Southern Italy – Sicily, Puglia, and Abruzzo, 2024 Releases
Italy is a world of wine with twenty different official wine regions, each of which deserves serious attention. Naturally some get more than others, and today we are trying four wines from three regions in the south that are often overlooked by wine drinkers in the U.S.: Sicily, Puglia, and Abruzzo. Let’s give them a try.
2022 Tenuta Regaleali Cavallo delle Fate Grillo – This bright white wine from Sicily made with 100% Grillo grapes has aromas of candied lemon, fresh lime juice, wildflowers, and flint. The palate is similar, with lemon and lime merging nicely with flinty minerality and medium acidity. Midpalate and through the finish, an herbal note and light salinity appear and add additional complexity. This wine surprised me. It starts as a simple but inviting wine then grows into a much more nuanced experienced. Very enjoyable. A- / $20
2023 Tornatore Etna Bianco – Made with 100% Carricante grapes from Sicily, this is an austere, dry, briny Italian white wine. On the nose, it shows sharp, fresh lemon juice and pineapple. The palate hits with high acidity and more lemon juice along with a fair amount of salinity and flinty minerality. This wine isn’t for everyone, but for those who like dry, minerally wines, it will be a hit. Its high acidity demands food, and it can stand up to a lot. The wine’s briny character would pair brilliantly with oysters and scallops, but I wouldn’t hesitate to pair it with prosciutto. B+ / $22
2016 Torrevento Vigna Pedale Riserva – This wine from Castel del Monte, Puglia is made with 100% Nero di Troia grape and pours dark purple, almost black in the glass. I recommend giving it a bit of time to open up or decanting the bottle. With a bit of air, the nose offers lovely, integrated notes of cherry and oak along with gentle herbs, vanilla, and earth. The palate follows with fresh cherries and wood tannins balancing each other well. Midpalate and through the finish, strawberry and milk chocolate notes join the mix. The wine has medium acidity as well as a good backbone of gentle, drying tannins. Altogether, a very well-balanced wine that will pair well with food but can also be enjoyed on its own. A- / $40
NV Zaccagnini Brut Blanc De Blanc – Made with 100% Pecorino grapes from the Abruzzo region, this sparkling wine isn’t technically from Southern Italy, but it does warrant attention both for its quality and its affordability. On first pour, the wine shows ample larger bubbles and notes of green apple, lemon, cantaloupe, pear, and minerality along with a touch of honey. I was impressed by the wine’s complexity, but I rather wish the bubbles were smaller. The wine also shows medium-to-high acidity and a medium length finish. Altogether, for the price, this is a great sparkling wine. B+ / $20
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