Italian Island Reds
Vintage image sourced on Pinterest
In the spirit of heading somewhere warm, sunny and beautiful in our glasses, even if not in real life, this tasting focuses on red wines from the Italian islands. There are nearly 450 islands in Italy, but not all of them make wines that are widely distributed internationally, so more specifically, we’re going to take a look at the wines from the big islands: Sicily and Sardinia.
In the Tyrrhenian Sea, Sicily and Sardinia are each very much their own place. While both islands are technically part of Italy, they’re also considered autonomous regions. In addition to Italian, each has their own language - languages, really. If you were to ask someone from Sicily or Sardinia whether they were Italian, the answer would likely be that they’re Sicilian or Sardinian first and foremost. And of course, each island has its own food and wine culture, developed over centuries, with both indigenous and foreign influences. Each has developed a flavor that’s entirely their own…and always worth tasting.
Stuff to know
Sicily and Sardinia have more than a few things in common, but don’t tell any of the locals that I said that. While Sicily is the larger of the two islands, Sardinia isn’t all that much smaller, with just 600 square miles (1,600 km2) difference between them. Both islands lie in the Tyrrhenian Sea, and while only the Straight of Messina separates Sicily from the toe of the Italian boot, Sardinia lies about 120 miles (200km) west of the mainland, much closer to Corsica than Italy itself. Each island retains a degree of autonomy from Italy, and they’ve managed to retain their respective dialects and languages, too.
Both Sicily and Sardinia have been invaded, conquered and ruled, though sometimes only partially, since antiquity. Sardinia saw partial or total rule from Phoenicians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, Italian maritime republics, the Crown of Aragon and the House of Savoy before becoming part of the Kingdom of Italy and eventually, part of the republic of Italy that exists today. Meanwhile, Sicily saw waves of influence or rule from Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, the Crown of Aragon and eventually, the Kingdom, then republic of Italy. As a result, both islands can claim cultures that have blended local and foreign for centuries, adding layers and layers of cultural complexity that even Sardinia’s famous centenarians would be hard-pressed to decipher.
Inevitably, foreign influences have affected the way grapevines are cultivated, which varieties are grown, and how wines are made on each island.
On Sardinia, the two best-known red grape varieties are Cannonau and Carignano, which go by the names Grenache (or Garnacha) and Carignan (or Cariñena) respectively in other parts of the wine world. If you’ve tasted Grenache wines, Rioja’s Reds or tried the Rosé Essentials or Dark Rosés, you might already be familiar with both of these grapes and how they tend to show up in a variety of wines all over southern France and Spain especially.
If you were to discuss Cannonau, Sardinia’s most-grown grape, with a Sardinian local, you’d hear that it’s their own native variety. Whether it showed up first on Sardinia or elsewhere isn’t entirely clear, and further, what “identical” really means when it comes to grape varieties isn’t so crystal clear, either. Cannonau grapevines on Sardinia have continued to mutate and evolve in ways that make them distinctly different from the Grenache or Garnacha grapes found today in France and Spain. And that’s before we take the all-important growing environment - or terroir - into account. The upshot is that Cannonau wines taste distinctly different from Grenache wines from other locales.
Sicily, by contrast, has experienced a revival of its indigenous grapes, like Nero d’Avola, Frappato, Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio, all of which play either solo or orchestral parts in various styles of Sicilian red wines. Sicily’s grapes and wines were once frequently shipped to other parts of Italy to be blended into wines needing more “oomph” from sunnier locales. But viticultural and winemaking practices improved in the 80s and 90s, and Sicily’s producers began to celebrate their own local varieties, which eventually became world-famous in and of themselves.
What to look for in this tasting
Summing up the flavors of Italian Island red wines isn’t the easiest, since there are a wide variety of styles, from deceptively pale full-bodied mineral-forward wines to appropriately pale delicately floral ones. Across the board though, these wines are made from grapes that receive plenty of sunshine, so they tend to have the ripe fruit flavors that go along with ripe grapes.
That said, these are still Italian wines. Expect to find plenty of zippy acidity and savory dried herbal flavors accompanying that ripe fruit. Some of these wines undergo lengthy oak aging, adding structure and complexity, while others are refreshingly fruit-forward and juicy. All of the wines are highly reflective of their place of origin, so here’s hoping this tasting brings you a vacation in a glass.
The wines
#1: Nero d’Avola
Nero d’Avola is Sicily’s most-planted red grape variety, and wines are made from the grape in almost every part of the island. The only exception is the northeast corner of Sicily, where grapes more closely associated with Mount Etna preside. Nero d’Avola’s name gives some indication of its origins, since it roughly translates to “black from Avola,” referring to the dark color of the grape’s skins, and its original home, Avola, a little town in southern Sicily.
Nero d’Avola has benefitted from a significant rise in popularity since the turn of the millennium, so much so that it has already had its own fad period, at least in Italy, and has since bounced back as the wines become increasingly terroir-focused and nuanced. It’s a grape variety that prefers heat, retaining its acidity even at lower altitudes where things can get steamy, which has made it attractive to producers in other regions like parts of Australia, California and even Texas in recent years.
There are a bunch of different DOC wines in Sicily in which Nero d’Avola plays a part, including Delia Nivolelli, Contea di Sclafani, Alcamo, Contessa Entellina and others, but many producers choose to make IGT wines with Nero d’Avola, too. For this tasting though, the goal is to find a wine that is primarily, if not entirely, made from Nero d’Avola, rather than one in which it’s blended with other local or international grapes.
Nero d’Avola, like Pinot Noir, is a grape variety that expresses the sites where its grown very well. This means that some Nero d’Avola wines from cooler areas are medium-bodied with more red cherry and herbal flavors than black fruit, and chewy, grainy tannins. Often, these lighter styles of Nero d’Avola aren’t oak-aged, but are intended to be juicy and quaffable instead. And then there are Nero d’Avola wines that are full-bodied with oak aging, bright acidity, prominent tannins and dark fruits like black cherry, black plum and blueberry with cocoa powder and savory herbs, sometimes even a meaty flavor. If you know you’d prefer one style over the other, ask your local retailer for a recommendation from their assortment. Since Nero d’Avola is a grape that needs abundant sunshine and heat to ripen, most of the wines have high alcohol levels.
What to ask for: Ask by name, and aim for a wine that’s 100% or at least predominantly Nero d’Avola, avoiding blends that include international grape varieties like Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah.
Alternative(s): Stick with a Nero d’Avola wine from Sicily
#2: Etna Rosso
Etna Rosso wines are made up of at least 80% Nerello Mascalese, a grape variety unique to this northeastern part of Sicily, where Mount Etna’s volcanic influence reigns supreme. Nerello Cappuccio, another local red grape variety, can be up to 20% of the blend. The first Etna Rosso wines I tried were from Tornatore, and later, I got to represent their wines when I worked for GALLO. Fast forward a few more years, during which I got to represent Nicosia and I Custodi in other roles, and I finally got to visit Mount Etna myself.
My husband and I toured Sicily for our honeymoon in 2021, luckily before White Lotus chose Taormina for its second season and made the area even more popular than it already was. I still have plenty of wine regions yet to visit, but so far, the coolest vineyard I’ve ever seen was on Mount Etna.
It’s impossible not to feel Mount Etna’s looming presence all around in northeastern Sicily. Europe’s largest active volcano makes itself noticed with its constant plumes of smoke and broad expanse. Most of its vineyards lie between 1,300 feet (400m) and 2,600 feet (800m), but the elevation doesn’t feel particularly dramatic when you’re there. Hiking up certain streets in Taormina was more physically demanding than walking in several of the broadly sloping vineyards we visited on Etna.
We were invited to drive our rental car onto a one-lane “road” that was really just stacked lunar-looking black lava stones, where we left it to walk along the narrower lava stone walls and down into vineyards whose individually-staked vines were hundreds of years old and taller than my 5’10” (178cm) frame. Old palmentos, traditional stone buildings where wines used to be made, dot the landscape, some in ruins. Paths of devastation from previous lava flows bracket the old vines, reminding you that even on sunny, clear days, total destruction is always a possibility.
Someone once said to me that the wines from Mount Etna showcase the “dark side of minerality.” I love that description, and rely on it regularly when attempting to articulate that salty, slightly smoky quality that feels alive with tension and unique to wines from Etna.
Etna Rossos are tricky appearance-wise, since they’re pale in the glass, but pack a punch structurally, much like Nebbiolo wines from Barolo and Barbaresco. Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio are often blended thanks to their complementary natures. Nerello Mascalese wines are pale-colored, but have plenty of acidity and tannin. Nerello Cappuccio offers more color and softens acidity, and doesn’t bring much tannin to the party. Together, they make wines that are excitingly vibrant, bursting with sour cherries, raspberries and blood oranges, along with fresh violets, sun-baked herbs and tobacco.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternative(s): 100% Nerello Mascelese wines
#3: Cannonau di Sardegna
Sardinia, once part of the kingdom of Aragón, claims Grenache/Garnacha as their own native grape, but here, it goes by Cannonau. Sardinia, in middle of the Mediterranean, east of Rome and just south of Corsica, has been fought over by various peoples and kingdoms since antiquity. And yet, it still maintains an independence and culture all its own. Sardinia isn’t even fully Italian, since it was granted autonomous status, much like Sicily. If you ask a Sardinian where they’re from, it’s Sardinia, not Italy.
Cannonau di Sardegna, the full name for these wines, is usually made from 100% Cannonau, though other local varieties are allowed to be blended in small amounts. If you’ve ever tasted Grenache-based wines from other warm climate regions like the Southern Rhône, Rioja, Priorat or Australia, you already know that there can be huge variation in the styles of wines produced. On Sardinia, the wines can also vary by producer, especially since they can be made from almost anywhere on the island. In this toasty locale, Cannonau wines are often full-bodied with soft acidity and tannins and abundant red fruit flavors like dried strawberries along with violets, white pepper, black tea and licorice. Riserva wines are aged for at least 6 months in barrel, so they tend to have more structure and concentration.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternative(s): Stick with a Cannonau di Sardegna, ideally a Riserva
#4: Frappato
Frappato wines are on the rise, though it might still take some hunting to find one that is 100% Frappato, depending on where you live. Producers like Arianna Occhipinti, COS and Paolo Calì have been driving increased interest in solo Frappato expressions.
Frappato is frequently blended with Nero d’Avola, Sicily’s more famous red grape, and contributes a softening effect, since Frappato wines are lighter than Nero d’Avola in all senses of the word. Quite pale in the glass, Frappato wines won’t surprise you like Nerello Mascalese. These are wines whose delicate color actually matches their structure. Light-bodied, Frappato wines are best with some chill, especially since their tannins are equally light. These are reds that can be paired with rich seafood and treated almost like a dark rosé. Expect to find flavors like strawberries, pomegranates, white pepper, dried oregano and violets.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternative(s): Stick with a Frappato, preferably 100%
#5: Cerasuolo di Vittoria
If you’ve tasted Dark Rosés, you’ve heard about Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo, a dark rosé wine whose name means “cherry-red,” which makes the name of this red wine rather confusing, since it isn’t a rosé, but instead is a full-on red wine.
Cerasuolo di Vittoria is Sicily’s only DOCG, the highest level of protected geographic indication for an Italian wine. Cerasuolo di Vittoria wines, from southeastern Sicily around the city of Vittoria, are always blends, with up to 70% Nero d’Avola and up to 40% Frappato. Ideally, in this tasting, you’ll get to taste Nero d’Avola and Frappato solo and in this famous blend, so that you can taste for yourself what each grape brings to the party.
Pairing Nero d’Avola and Frappato works much like a complementary couple. Nero d’Avola brings the richness, while Frappato brings delicate floral aromas and softens the wine. The partnership results in age-worthy wines that are medium- to full-bodied with flavors of ripe raspberries, blood oranges and cherries alongside violets, peppery spices, black tea and dark cocoa.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternative(s): Stick with a Cerasuolo di Vittoria
#6: Carignano del Sulcis
While Cannonau’s origins are debated, it’s generally accepted that Carignano came to Sardinia from Spain, likely thanks to the four hundred years or so that the island spent under the rule of the Crown of Aragon. Today, Carignano goes by Carignan in France and Cariñena and Mazuelo in Spain. Carignan wines from France and Spain often carry an unfortunate reputation for being astringently tannic, without the flavor or body to balance things out. Winemakers have found that the best Carignan wines come from really, really old vines, since Carignan vines are vigorous and will produce a lot of grapes, just not many concentrated ones, when the vines are young.
In Sardinia, many of the Carignano vines used to make Carignano del Sulcis wines are around one hundred years old, which is plenty of time for the vines to slow down their vigor and start producing complex, concentrated grapes. Sardinia’s warm, dry climate with its whipping winds and sandy soils doesn’t hurt either.
Even if Sardinia can’t claim Carignano’s origins, it can still claim hundreds of years of tradition, and more importantly, some of the world’s most concentrated and complex wines from this particular grape. Sardinia’s top DOC for Carignano is Carignano del Sulcis, from the southeastern tip of the island, where the majority of plantings are Carignano. These wines are typically deeply colored with flavors like ripe red and black cherries and plums along with prominent spices like black pepper, cocoa and coffee.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternative(s): Other Carignano-based wines from Sardinia
Tasting tips
The eats
Some of these reds will be surprisingly light, and others, surprisingly full-bodied, brashly contradicting a pale appearance. Wines like Frappato and even some Etna Rossos pair delightfully with rich seafood like swordfish, especially when grills and tomatoes are involved. On the other hand, Nero d’Avola wines are dark, rich and spicy. When choosing the eats for this tasting, I’d err on the side of foods that are beefy enough (pun entirely intended) for the bolder wines. If you’re up for it, serving a charcuterie board or an appetizer like eggplant bruschetta and then this Sicilian beef ragout recipe from The New York Times that I’m dying to try would be a knockout. I can’t imagine my husband will complain when I’m testing out this recipe before serving it to guests…
If preparing a multi-hour recipe is on the ambitious side for you, especially if you’re hosting this tasting on a weeknight, pulling together a charcuterie board or even just a few hunks of cheese and meat with some bread or crackers still counts. All of it counts. It’s the getting together and traveling somewhere sunny via wine part that’s most important here, after all.
The prep
While Sicily is technically Italy’s largest wine region, the distribution of Sicilian and Sardinian wines varies widely depending on where you live. Consider giving your guests at least two weeks to find their respective wines before gathering to taste. In general, wines from both islands are usually quite affordable, since they’re still not yet as popular as wines from other Italian regions like Tuscany or Piedmont.
A note on the tasting order: The wines are listed in the order of which should be included first, so that even if there are just 4 wines in the tasting, you’ve got a well-rounded experience ahead. However, I’d suggest switching up the order in which you taste the wines, regardless of how many wines make it in the final cut, as follows:
Frappato
Cannonau di Sardegna
Etna Rosso
Cerasuolo di Vittoria
Nero d’Avola
Carignano del Sulcis
