An entire year devoted to the presentation of Nero d’Avola to the whole world; after Dubai, Tokyo, Osaka, London and Düsseldorf, the tour ‘Exploring Nero d’Avola’ finally arrives at Verona for Vinitaly.
The tour is intended to provide in-depth knowledge to the international public of the most important Sicilian red grape varieties, through a wealth of information and the opportunity to taste the wines produced by grapes from different areas and various vintages.
This is precisely an ‘exploration’ through the great territories of Sicilian wine where the Planeta estates now stand, and whose own ‘journey through Sicily’ has been inspired by the desire to produce every wine in its own territory, and to discover their own interpretations of the great Sicilian indigenous grape varieties. Particularly in the case of Nero d’Avola, they wished to discover how it succeeds in expressing itself everywhere but always in a different and surprising manner. Apart from Etna, Planeta’s other four wineries – Menfi, Noto, Vittoria and Capo Milazzo – have all been part of intensive research work into this ancient and noble variety over the years.
Obviously it won’t be this project alone to mark the presence of Planeta at Vinitaly 2018.
There are also important new wines from the territory of Noto; Allemanda, the new name of the Moscato Bianco, and Controdanza, another Nero d’Avola which is now blended with a small percentage of Merlot. ‘After Santa Cecilia, of which the name derives from that of our family and defers to the patron of Music,’ explains Alessio Planeta, ‘Allemanda and Controdanza are also a homage to this art, which is indicated on the Noto wine labels. For Moscato we chose the name of an opening dance, as is our wine. And for the blend of Nero d’Avola and Merlot, purposely, that of a country dance originating in a game of agreements and contradictions’.
At Vinitaly Planeta will also present the wines whose new vintages have gained a label indicating denominazione Sicilia Menfi Doc – Alastro 2017, Terebinto 2017, Burdese 2014, Merlot Sito dell’Ulmo 2014, Maroccoli Syrah 2014; Brut Metodo Classico with its new label, and a gem of the Etna vineyards, Eruzione 1614 Pinot Nero, the result of a specific experiment following that already carried out on Riesling. ‘We concentrated on Pinot Nero which has been cultivated in the area for centuries, though marginally, as a small collection of vines growing on the legendary eruption of 1614. The result’, concludes Alessio Planeta, ‘is an absolutely original version of this variety’.
Planeta will be at Vinitaly, at Pavilion 2 Sicilia Stand 81 E/90
