2024 Mary Taylor 'Clara Sala' Sicilia Bianco, Sicily, Italy
Regular price $17.00
Unit price per
100% Grillo
On the west side of Sicily, in the commune of Mazara del Vallo (famous for shrimp!), you find Annamaria and Clara Sala – 2 sisters who run the Tenuta di Gorghi Tondi. The Sala family have been farming their vineyards here for four generations, working with native grapes only. In addition to Zibibbo, Nero d’Avola, Catarratto, Frappato and Nerello Mascalese, Grillo is one of the island’s indigenous varieties and was used as a base in Marsala wine which was widely exported for decades. Grillo (aka Riddu), however, hails for thousands of years, being a favorite of Julius Caesar, as it is capable of a sweetness level used in the famed ‘Mamertio’ wine of Messina.
The Sala sisters have a steadfast commitment to organic farming and showcasing the potential of their spectacular terroir. Their Grillo vineyard, ‘Contrada San Nicola,’ is one single hectare on limestone sand that reaches almost to the banks of the sea. This vineyard is exposed to Mediterranean Sea breezes and salty air - one of the main reasons that this Grillo showcases a distinctive minerality, perfectly combined with citrus notes. The grapes are immediately brought to the winery (literally a few yards away) and gently pressed. The grapes' skins macerate with the juice for 4 hours. Then, it is fermented in stainless steel tanks, where it ages on the lees for 2-3 months more before bottling. It then matures in bottle for a further 3 months before release.