Uncorked: Sicilian wines shine in shadow of feisty volcano

A restless volcano towered over the vineyards of Duca di Salaparuta.

The on-again-off-again behavior of Mount Etna, Europe’s largest volcano, has captured the attention of consulting winemaker Barbara Tamburini.

But, it’s the Duca di Salaparuta wines tasted on a Zoom call that should capture the attention of wine lovers. The Sicilian white was crisp, flavorful and lively. And the reds, specifically the indigenous grapes offered, had an exciting array of flavors and textures. Both can be had at affordable prices.

“In the vineyard, you see the volcano in front of you, and it’s been energetic this year,” Tamburini said. “There’s no problems in the vineyard though.”

It’s in the vineyard where the decision to invest in grapes indigenous to Sicily has paid off. Duca di Salaparuta Kados 2019 ($17.99) is 100% grillo, a varietal that shines in volcanic soils.

There was grapefruit, cantaloupe, white flower blossoms and a lemon thyme flavor.

Duca di Salaparuta Triskele 2017 ($19.99) had cigar wrapper, pine needle and cedar aromas with flavors of espresso and hints of tomato leaf. A full-bodied red, the monster-sized tannins were easy to embrace because a jammy raspberry note emerged.

A blend of Nero d’Avola – a variety that Tamburini said is Etna’s most important – and merlot, Triskele could be served with grilled red meats, salami, dark chocolate or just enjoyed by itself.

Grapes are grown at the Suor Marchesa Estate, which is a sprawling 250 acres, where the soil can be white, brown or dark in the vineyards. Tamburini said even though the mostly volcanic soils allow Nero d’Avola to ripen to a color that is a red-blue hue on a vine, and retain water well, the berries can be quite tannic.

With a touch of merlot to soften the tannins though, Triskele showed exactly what the vineyards in central and southern Italy went through that year.

Duca di Salaparuta Passo delle Mule 2018 ($19.99) is 100% Nero d’Avola, and had a spectrum of dark fruit flavors – black cherry, plum and the juicy snap offered by that first bite into a blackberry. Anise, tobacco and even hints of leather joined, as well.

Perhaps most interesting was the Duca di Salaparuta Lavico 2017 ($19.99), which takes its name from the lava inside Mount Etna, and is made from 100% Nerello Mascalese. It was my first run-in with the rich, powerful red and its mix of currant, black cherry and warm gravel.

“The indigenous grapes we’ve invested in present a lot in the uniqueness,” Tamburini said. “If you were to go any other place in the world, you do not have the same situation and wouldn’t recognize the grape.”

That is something she experienced in 2008 as a keynote speaker at a conference in Vancouver. Of all the wines she tasted, just one was instantly recognizable, a Tuscan sangiovese.

A Tuscan native, Tamburini didn’t grow up in the vineyards, but loved nature and people as she studied agriculture in college. She said a grape variety can be transplanted to a different site, but it won’t carry the same traits.

“It’s something important,” Tamburini said. “You can bring indigenous grape varieties to a new part of the world, and produce wine. It can be very normal if you follow a good practice, but it’s extremely important to recognize the original place, it’s very connected to the region.”

During harvest, she’ll fly from Tuscany to Sicily. Harvest can be a three-month rush. Chardonnay and pinot grigio can start as early as July. While Nerello Mascalese can ripen until the end of October.

“It’s stressful for me,” Tamburini said. “I take samples every day to the lab, which gives us so much information to organize: when to harvest, when to wait. Harvest is something that’s unique for me. I’ve been in Sicily once a week from July to the end of October, for all of the harvest period. All the visits are special, and I see something new each time.”

Even though she’s working, Tamburini takes a minute to soak it all in.

“I’m a lover of Sicily, it’s a situation where you have everything,” she said. “A tourist has everything, the sea, mountains and countryside. The climate is amazing. In summer, it’s breezy. It can be warmer sometimes and get hot, but always breezy, windy and not too humid. It’s ideal for a seaside holiday. At the same time, it’s possible to go inland where there’s a warmer, drier sensation.”

Great wines are stirring in Sicily – near a volcano with a curiously feisty behavior pattern.

• James Nokes has been tasting, touring and collecting in the wine world for several years. Email him at jamesnokes25@yahoo.com.