Feudo di Santa Tresa

The appassimento method of making wine from grapes dried in the sun is a way of adding texture and raisiny intensity to the fresh fruit flavours of the juice.

The most famous wines made by this method are probably the Amarones and Valpolicella Ripassos of the Veneto region of northern Italy, but there is a similar tradition in Sicily, and this luscious red demonstrates that the island's indigenous Nero d'Avola is also an excellent candidate for the drying treatment.

Because the grapes for 'Siccari' (a dialect word for 'sun-dried') come from the relatively higher and cooler vineyards of Sicily's south-east, there's an invigorating freshness in the fruit that balances the enriching, concentrating influence of the appassimento.

The result is a voluptuous but not overpowering wine, silky-smooth and succulent, with plum and cherry character and just a hint of residual sugar. It's a perfect, full-flavoured partner for meat dishes, and its rich, very slightly off-dry finish and gentle tannins make it ideal with good cheese too.

DRINK OF THE WEEK ‘…smooth and round but not in any way jammy. Layered, intense, lovely’
Tom Doorley, Irish Mail on Sunday, May 2020

There is no mistaking the commitment of the Purato range—certified carbon neutral— to minimizing the environmental impact of its excellent everyday wines.

Not only are the wines themselves made from organically grown grapes, but the bottles, labels and cartons for the range are as far as possible made from recycled materials, with pure vegetable inks used in printing.

Nero d'Avola is indigenous to Sicily and an ideal choice for organic production because it is suited to the conditions of the island and has evolved to resist the particular challenges posed by the local climate and soils.

This is a medium-bodied dry red with soft tannins and attractive red fruit character. Its layers of flavour make it an excellent accompaniment to meat and tomato dishes—so it's perfect with lasagne, pizza and spaghetti bolognese as well as vegetarian meals. Of course, if you're trying your hand at some Sicilian specialities, so much the better.

‘…rich, supple, cherry-scented and fresh’
Tom Doorley, Irish Mail on Sunday, May 2020

There is no mistaking the commitment of the Purato range—certified carbon neutral— to minimizing the environmental impact of its excellent everyday wines.

Not only are the wines themselves made from organically grown grapes, but the bottles, labels and cartons for the range are as far as possible made from recycled materials, with pure vegetable inks used in printing.

The blending of the two grapes: indigenous Catarratto with Pinot Grigio creates an enjoyable, everyday drinking wine that delivers intense aromas of citrus and tropical fruits, with a crisp, lively fruit character on the palate too. This is a perfect wine for seafood or as an appetizer—or why not get into the spirit of the Purato project and try it with some locally produced organic fare?

‘…this Sicilian white is all about freshness’
Tom Doorley, Irish Mail on Sunday, May 2020

Fiano's history goes back to the Romans and probably the Greeks before them.

It's a grape that is coming back into fashion as modern methods allow yields to increase without sacrificing its attractive balance of flavours. There's lively freshness, and this is a wine that shares its fruit character with hints of honey, herbs and nuts, extending its food matching range easily into the realms of roast chicken, stir-fries and creamy sauces.

There's every chance that a Fiano wine will age well, the nutty elements and richer texture predominating with time over the tangy fruit of youth—but it's so attractive as it is, there's every reason to drink and enjoy it in the short term as a change from more familiar choices.

Primitivo is known elsewhere as Zinfandel, and the wines made from this variety are usually full-bodied and powerful.

This Puglian expression comes from vines grown on the Salento peninsula at the tip of the heel of Italy's 'boot'.

It's a richly fruity red, with prune and dark berry flavours, and there's also a savoury, herb-scented element to its concentrated, warming character.

Try it with oven-baked pasta dishes such as beef lasagne, or full-flavoured stews and ratatouille. If you like a hearty red, it would make a good match for burgers, ribs or even a meaty pizza.

This is a smooth and full-bodied red from the tip of the heel of Italy's boot.

It's made from hand-picked grapes selected from vines whose yields are restricted in order to concentrate the typically rich and dark fruit flavours of Primitivo. There's further concentration thanks to use of the appassimento method, in which grapes are partially dried, for a portion of the fruit.

Spicy, toasty characteristics are added by ageing about a quarter of the wine in French and American oak casks before the final blending, making this an ideal accompaniment for roast meat and mature cheeses. At the same time it's rounded and mellow enough to be enjoyed and savoured on its own.

The Fiano grape is well worth getting to know, since it combines lively fruit aromas with a hint of silky fatness, making it an excellent food wine and a satisfying choice chilled on its own too.

This is a really decent expression of the grape from the southernmost region of Puglia, the Salento peninsula. Try it with smoked salmon or poultry to appreciate its versatile charm as a dining wine.

The Carlomagno wines are named for the emperor Charlemagne, who appears as a hero in the traditional puppet opera 'Opera dei Pupi' of southern Italy.

Italian wine law has changed.

There is now such a thing, officially, as rosé prosecco!

This is a fine, fresh and sophisticated wine that we're proud to add to our list. The new regulations mean that rosé prosecco must be a vintage millesimato wine, and can only be produced in the fully sparkling spumante style.