WINES FROM
VAL DI MAZARA ROAD
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DELIA NIVOLELLI (Doc)
It is produced in the town of Mazara del Vallo, Marsala, Petrosino e Salemi, in the province of Trapani. This flat and fertile area, became famous for trade at the time of the Phoenicians and its conquest by the Arabs, is full of important monuments and archaeological sites. This includes the varieties Doc White, Red, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Damaschino, Grecanico, Grillo, Inzolia, Merlot, Müller-Thurgau, Nero díAvola, Pignatello or Perricone, Sangiovese, Sauvignon, Spumante, Syrah.
BOUQUET and COLORS
The White Delia Nivolelli is characterized by a straw yellow color sometimes with greenish hues, delicate, fruity and quite distinctive. The taste is dry and harmonious and the minimum alcohol content is 11 degrees.
The Red Delia Nivolelli has quite intense red color, garnet, bright, with hints of orange when aged. Its scent is delicate and winy, dry, fruity, warm and harmonious. The minimum alcohol content is 11.5 degrees.
The Delia Nivolelli Spumante is bright and persistent, with a light straw colour, sometimes with greenish highlights. The flavour is delicate, fruity and harmonium. The minimum alcohol content is 11.5 degrees.
MARSALA
The Marsala is a rich and complex wine, where centuries of history and traditions, flavours and crafts, mingle creating an extremely versatile wine of many faces and varieties. It is used both for cooking and as table wine, as an aperitif or as a dessert wine, in replacement of the Sorbet, cold, warm or at room temperature.
This happens because all the different aging times and the different processing methods create many types of Marsala, and depending on the usage of grape base, it can also occur in different shades.
For gold and amber Marsala the finest white grapes Grillo, Catarratto, Inzolia and Damaschino are used.
The Marsala Rubino is done by mixing Pignatello, Nero d’Avola and Nerello Mascalese with the above quoted white grapes for a maximum of 30%.
In addition, according to the sugar content, it is divided in sweet, dry and semi dry.
The Marsala is therefore able to adapt to any time of the day and to every palate.
GRILLO
It was probably imported from Puglia at the beginning of the 17th century. The Grillo is primarily cultivated in the territory of Trapani as it is the base variety to produce the best Marsala DOC. It ‘s also present in the province of Agrigento, and in part of the province of Palermo and Siracusa.
Vigorous plant, leaf medium to large, five-lobed, the shape can be orbicular or pentagonal, tapered bunch, usually winged, loose, medium-large berries, spherical, thick skin, colour is slightly waxy green and orange-yellow with pink shades on the exposed parts. Maturation medium.
BOUQUET and COLORS
It Contributes to the establishment of the best Marsala DOC wines. Its white grapes are the best to produce ready white wines or suitable for aging. His wine has a straw yellow colour, smooth fragrant aroma with hints of herbs, floral and citrus notes, the flavour is fruity, with good acidity and a soft balanced, well-structured palate.
CATARRATTO
It is one of the oldest Sicilian Grape, cultivated since ancient times. Called in ancient dialect “Catarrattu vrancu”, the Catarratto is described in Cupani’s (1969) and Sestini’s (1760) work. Pastena (1970) described four different types of Catarratto cultivated in Sicily. It is largely spread along the whole Island, particularly in the province of Trapani and Palermo.
Quite vigorous plant with medium to medium-large leaf, with 3-5 lobes; its bunch is medium in size, it can be conical or pyramidal, compact, usually winged; the berries are medium-sized, spherical, skin colour is green-yellow. Maturation medium.
BOUQUET and COLORS
The Cataratto is used in most of the Sicilian white wines. His colour is light straw yellow to golden; the aromatic profile contains light fruity and floral notes, the taste is characterized by the important alcohol content and the good structure, neutral flavour, mildly acidic and soft.
DAMASCHINO
Quoted by Mendola in 1885, we assume it arrived in Sicily during the Arab domination, particularly in the area of Trapani. It was mainly used for the recovery of post-phylloxera vines in Marsala. Its cultivation is limited to the provinces of Trapani and Agrigento.
Vigorous plant, five-lobed large leaves, large pyramidal bunch, medium-large berries with spherical peel, yellow-green with shades of pink-orange in the most exposed part to the sun. Maturation medium.
BOUQUET and COLORS
Generally, these grapes are fermented together with other varieties. The wine is fine, to be consumed young, pale yellow, mild and pleasant aroma, neutral taste, quite harmonious. Not very suitable to aging.
INZOLIA
It is one of the oldest Sicilian grapes. It was mentioned by Plinio under the name Irziola, called by the people “Inzolia vranca” to distinguish it from ‘”Inzolia nigra”. It has also been described by Cubani in 1696 and Sestini in 1760. Widely distributed across the island, it contributes to the establishment of many white wines, often blended with Catarratto. Locally, the grapes are also used for fresh consumption.
Vigorous plant with five-lobed medium-large leaf; its bunch can be pyramidal or conical, medium to large in size, the skin is thick and waxy, golden yellow or amber in colour, crunchy, sweet and semi-aromatic. Medium maturation.
BOUQUET and COLORS
If vinified as single-variety it gives a fine wine with a straw yellow colour with greenish reflections, the taste is neutral, good alcohol content, acidity and softness are well balanced.
GRECANICO
The origins of this grape grown in Sicily for several centuries are unknown. Apparently it is the same grape Cupani (1696) describes as a Sicilian grape called “Grecanica”. It is mainly cultivated in the provinces of Trapani and Agrigento.
Vigorous plant with medium five-lobed, pentagonal leaf; the bunch is medium, conical or cylindrical-conical, with one or two wings, the grapes are slightly flattened and spheroid, waxy skin, golden yellow in colour. Maturation medium.
BOUQUET and COLORS
Fine wine with a golden yellow colour, fairly alcoholic with neutral odour and taste, fresh and harmonious.
NERO D’AVOLA
Although it was quoted by Cupani in 1696, the its origin is still unknown. It is linked to linked to the ancient wines called “Calabresi di Augusta” and “Vini di VIttoria.” The name Calabrese presumably derives from two ancient Sicilian words “Calea” and “Aulisi”, grape of Avola, related to the place of the original selection. The king of Sicilian vines is successfully grown in all areas of the Island, where it finds its highest expression of quality.
Vigorous plant with medium-large leaf, it can be three-lobed or entire, wedge-shaped pentagonal; the bunch is medium to large, cylindrical or cylindrical-conical, winged, averagely compact, ovoid berries, pruinose blue-black. Maturation medium.
BOUQUET and COLORS
The wines are divided based on the area they are grown, the have great personality, deep red colour, large fragrant aroma with fruity, floral and spicy notes, well-structured, full bodied, acidity and softness are well balanced.
PERRICONE
This Typical Vine is grown in western Sicily since time immemorial. It is cultivated in the provinces of Palermo and Trapani and in part of the province of Agrigento and Messina.
Vigorous Plant, with cuneiform to pentagonal leaf, lobed or palmate; the bunch can be cylindrical or pyramidal, simple or winged, medium-sized. The skin is pruinose, thick and leathery, dark blue in colour tending to black. Maturation medium.
BOUQUET and COLORS
If vinified as single-variety it gives a ruby red wine. Its taste is fairly tannic and harmonious.