Feudo Principi di Butera Syrah 2016
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James
Suckling
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Brilliant and extremely intense ruby-red. The bouquet is full and persistent with appealing notes of cherries, red fruit, and sweet spices. Rich, encompassing with clean sensations of appealing sweet spices, supported by a long finish.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
The brambly and spicy undertones to this are very attractive, as are the overtones of brambleberries, tar and cedar. Medium-to full-bodied with plenty of soft fruit, but a bold tannin backbone to hold it all together. Plenty of herbs on the medium-long finish.
Other Vintages
2017-
James
Suckling -
Wilfred
Wong
Feudo Principi di Butera is a state-of-the-art winery situated in the south-eastern part of the Province of Caltanissetta in Sicily and is part of the DOC district of Riesi. The estate is approximately two hours from the city of Palermo, and has a total of 320 hectares, 170 of which are under vine, as well as 3,000 olive trees. Butera is a historical estate, which once belonged to noble families, such as Sicily’s first prince Ambrogio Branciforte. The Prince resided there beginning in the year 1543. More recently, the Zonin family acquired and restored the estate in 1997 after conducting thorough research on the best-suited areas in Sicily for vineyard cultivation. After years of meticulous work the estate has been restored to its original splendor, and its ancient watchtower now offers breathtaking views of the surrounding vineyards. Its proximity to the sea, optimal elevation, abundance of sunlight, and rich soil and hilly terrain, provide the ideal conditions to yield outstanding wines. Butera is steeped in the rich patchwork of history, tradition and extraordinary wines of Sicily.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
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.