Malcolm Jolley will toast to Sicily this Easter…
Frappato is the Sicilian red wine grape that makes no sense. Here is a grape grown in a hot part of a hot island, closer to Africa than almost any other European region. And yet, Frapppato wines are characterized by their freshness and liveliness. A case in point is the Planeta Frappato Vittoria DOC 2018 ($24.95 | LCBO# 508655), a limited allotment of which is in this weekend’s Vintages release. Here bright red forest fruits mingle hibiscus notes, a wash of bight acidity and a touch of white pepper on the finish. It’s decidely more-ish, and versatile. Ready for an Easter ham, or a leg of lamb, or spring inspired pasta.
The Planeta family lost it’s great visionary patriarch, Diego Planeta last year. Diego Planeta deserves much credit for creating the fine wine industry and craft in Sicily in the second half of the 20th century. His work continues through the family, which has built wineries across the island, each making wines particular to the terroir they inhabit. Working from a few hectares on the red sandy soil of Vittoria, in the southeast corner of Sicily, Diego’s nephew Alessio Planeta and their senior winemaker Patricia Toth, have elevated the Frappato grape by using a light touch, with a soft pressing and using only stainless steel. The wine is remarkably only 12.5% alcohol by volume, with only 4 grams of residual sugar per litre. At $25, the Frappato qualifies as one of Planeta’s more affordable luxury wines. If the past is any indication, it sells out quickly. This delicious wine is certainly worth a try.
Click here to find this wine at the LCBO. Visit planeta.it to learn more about Planeta.
