Portelli Frappato 2019
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The Portelli family is a historic grower in the southern bastion of Vittoria, home of the ravishing Frappato grape. Typically blended with Nero d’Avola to make the noble Cerasuolo di Vittoria, Frappato is also bottled on its own, producing irresistibly aromatic medium-bodied reds with soft, cushiony tannins to be joyously gulped at will. Suggestions of minty herbs, wildflowers, lavender, and succulent red fruit make this a rather complex, yet still dangerously drinkable, rendition of the grape.
Alessandro is the fifth generation of the Portelli family to tend their land, and currently works with his father Salvatore. The estate was founded in 1863 by Basilio Portelli who was succeeded by his son, grandson, great-grandson, and great-great grandson to arrive at present day. The family grew their own grapes, vinified their own wine, and sold it in bottle, long before most others in the area. Their original winery was in use from 1863 to 1959, and their initial export markets were England, Malta, and Germany. The Portellis were among the first growers in the Vittoria area and welcomed many others over the years.
The Portellis have mastered the maceration and extraction to get the most out of their grapes—their wines are loaded with charm and luscious fruit while possessing plenty of structure on the backend. They grow two varieties: Frappato and Nero d’Avola, the latter known locally as Calabrese. Calabrese shows much more elegance here in the soils of Vittoria than it does in other areas of Sicily, where it tends to earn its keep as a wine of brawn and power. The Portellis are crafting Calabrese with elegance and refinement, country charm wrapped in suede. Their Frappato, while the most fruit forward wine they make, is no simple quaffer!
Frappato is one of Sicily’s exciting indigenous red varieties and, in combination with Nero d’Avola, is responsible for the acclaimed Cerasuolo di Vittoria wines—the only DOCG of Sicily. It makes a lively single varietal wine as well with charming strawberry, pomegranate, white pepper and violet qualities. Somm Secret— Frappato is a likely descendant of the Tuscan Ciliegiolo grape, which is named after the Italian word for cherry, ciliegia. Incidentally, the wine of Cerasuolo di Vittoria is also named for Sicilian dialect word for cherry, cerasa.
A large, geographically and climatically diverse island, just off the toe of Italy, Sicily has long been recognized for its fortified Marsala wines. But it is also a wonderful source of diverse, high quality red and white wines. Steadily increasing in popularity over the past few decades, Italy’s fourth largest wine-producing region is finally receiving the accolades it deserves and shining in today's global market.
Though most think of the climate here as simply hot and dry, variations on this sun-drenched island range from cool Mediterranean along the coastlines to more extreme in its inland zones. Of particular note are the various microclimates of Europe's largest volcano, Mount Etna, where vineyards grow on drastically steep hillsides and varying aspects to the Ionian Sea. The more noteworthy red and white Sicilian wines that come from the volcanic soils of Mount Etna include Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio (reds) and Carricante (whites). All share a racy streak of minerality and, at their best, bear resemblance to their respective red and white Burgundies.
Nero d’Avola is the most widely planted red variety, and is great either as single varietal bottling or in blends with other indigenous varieties or even with international ones. For example, Nero d'Avola is blended with the lighter and floral, Frappato grape, to create the elegant, Cerasuolo di Vittoria, one of the more traditional and respected Sicilian wines of the island.
Grillo and Inzolia, the grapes of Marsala, are also used to produce aromatic, crisp dry Sicilian white. Pantelleria, a subtropical island belonging to the province of Sicily, specializes in Moscato di Pantelleria, made from the variety locally known as Zibibbo.