I'm constantly amazed at the wines coming out of Sicily so let's taste some new wines and new vintages of some favorites for Friday's Flight 4 - 8pm $16 for a flight of 5. I'l also pouring 2 wines from Terre Nere Etna that are usually too allocated to get!

While Sicily boasts 98,000 hectares of vineyards spread across the entire island, its terroir is in no way monolithic. Its diversity of soils, climates, and geography provides a broad tapestry for its vineyards to express a range of unique micro- and macro-climates.

Thanks to its complex geologic past, the soils of the island span from volcanic to calcareous to schist, with varying textures that can range from sandy to rocky. In the northern part of the island, stretching from Palermo in the west to Messina in the east, mountains dominate the landscape, with soils predominated by schist and calcareous sedimentary cover, while the soils surrounding Mount Etna are volcanic in nature. In the southeast, hills and coastal plains have limestone soils with a sandy texture. The central-southern and southwestern areas are hilly with chalky clay soils. The western portion of the island near the cities of Trapani and Marsala offer a mix of hills that cascade into plains as they approach the coast. This area offers a mix of red marine sedimentary rock and marly limestone. 

Sicily is generally considered to have a typical Mediterranean climate, with warm, sunny summers and mild winters, yet its geologic diversity assures distinct subclimates. While the hilly interior is influenced by higher altitudes and experiences large diurnal temperature shifts, the coasts are temperate and mild thanks to cooling sea breezes. The mountains in the north see the most rainfall and are cooler than the rest of the island. These climatic differences offer a wide range of optimal harvest times across the island, beginning in late July and lasting until the end of November.

Alcesti 2025 Isola dei Profumi Bianco $14 - From a family-owned winery located in the Marsala region, this hand-crafted wine represents the “Island of Perfumes.” The grapes for this wine achieve ripe, intense flavors from the Mediterranean sun that are balanced by the acidity from the cooling sea breezes. The flavors are fresh and vibrant with subtle floral and stone fruit notes.

Alcesti 2023 Isola dei Profumi Rosso $15 -  This exquisite wine enchants with vibrant notes of ripe cherry, blackberry, and a subtle whisper of spice. Crafted from carefully selected indigenous grapes, it offers a rich, full-bodied experience with a velvety finish.

Masseria del Feudo 2023 Nerello Mascalese "Rosso delle Rose" $22 -

The nose is earthy, but also sweet and floral, with aromas of top soil, vanilla, cherry blossom and cinnamon. The palate opens with tangy, tart cherries that then sweeten and ripen, alongside a smear of bitter orange jam and a hint of ripe peach. 

Giovanni Gurrieri “Cerasuolo” 2022, DOCG Cerasuolo di Vittoria $25 - Made of a blend of Nero d’Avola (Frappato 45%, Nero d’Avola 55%), estate-grown in vineyards near Chiaramonte Gulfi, in the Contradas Ponte, Biviere e Fegotto.

Gulfi di Vito Catania 2024 Nero d’Avola "Rossojbleo" $26 - Gulfi have breathed a life into this grape that no one else has. From the area surrounding Noto, just outside of Avola, the Nero d'Avola grapes for Rossojbleo are selected from various vineyards in Chiaramonete Gulfi and Ragoletti. Ruby red with violet reflections. Fragrant with red berries, cherries and plum. 

Bonus Wines

Terre Nere 2025 Etna Bianco $38 - The 2025 Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Bianco is a stunningly precise, mineral-chiseled benchmark that defines the classic style of the northern slopes of Mount Etna. Masterfully blended by Marco de Grazia from organically farmed, high-altitude vineyards, this wine relies on the region's signature Carricante grape, filled out with Catarratto, Grecanico, and Inzolia.

Terre Nere 2024 Etna Rosso $39 - From the benchmark estate of Marco de Grazia, the 2024 Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Rosso is a stunningly pure and elegant expression of Nerello Mascalese. Crafted from vines grown on the high-altitude, volcanic soils of Mount Etna, this wine is often referred to as the "Burgundy of the Mediterranean." The nose is bright and expressive, with notes of sour cherry, wild strawberry, and dried rose petal, accented by hints of volcanic ash, blood orange, and savory herbs. On the palate, it’s medium-bodied and graceful, with a core of vibrant red fruit framed by fine-grained, silky tannins and a bright, persistent acidity. 

COS 2022 Pithos Rosso $45 -Darkly floral, the 2022 Rosso Pithos slowly evolves in the glass, blending roses and violets with crushed stone and hints of rhubarb. This creates a sensation of sweet-and-sour on the palate, with soft textures and juicy acidity guiding its tart red berry fruits and sour citrus tones. The 2022 tapers off long and staining yet only gently tannic, closing with notes of licorice and a lingering tart blackberry concentration. The Pithos is a zesty blend of 60% Nero d'Avola and 40% Frappato that’s refined for seven months in amphorae, followed by two to three months in concrete.