Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1011938
{ SOMMjournal.com } 55 SUMMER: CAPO MILAZZO Appellation: Mamertino DOC Winery: La Baronia Wine: Planeta Mamertino In the province of Messina within the Mamertino DOC lies La Baronia, Planeta's smallest estate at just 8 hect - ares. Surrounded by an ancient olive grove, the vineyard features alluvial soils that bring out the summery side of Nero d'Avola. Planeta's Mamer- tino highlights black cherry, citrus, tamarind, and seaweed with a fresh and velvety character. Marmertino blends 70% Nero d'Avola with 30% Nocera. WINTER: NOTO Appellation: Noto DOC Winery: Buonivini Wine: Planeta Santa Cecilia Nero d'Avola In 1998, Planeta first harvested its Buonivini vineyards in the hilly Noto DOC. This estate features off-white, chalky, calcareous soils—producing a more elegant expression in contrast to some of the darker, denser versions of Nero d'Avola produced here. The DOC claims Noto is Nero d'Avola's southern Sicilian birth - place, and given its expression, it does seem a natural fit to the area. At Buonivini, roughly 20 hectares planted to Nero d'Avola grow alongside Moscato di Noto (the rare variety is commonly used for dessert wine, but Planeta's rendition is dry). The Santa Celilia Nero d'Avola calls for a colder time of year, offering a dense texture, deep baritone tones, and notes of balsamic, graphite, wild blackberry, and cherry. This 100% Nero d'Avola can be saved for a special wintery occa - sion down the line, however, as Santa Cecilia can age for up to ten years. SPRING: VITTORIA Appellation: Cerasualo di Vittoria Classico DOCG Winery: Dorilli Wine: Planeta Dorilli Cerasuolo di Vittoria Grown on just 15 hectares of red, sandy-calcar - eous soils, Planeta's Dorilli Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico DOCG wine evokes a release of ten- sion and the budding of spring. Vittoria wines typically feature strawberry and cherry with a fresh, playful, and juicy character. Cerasuolo, in fact, comes from cerasa, which means "cherry" in the Sicilian dialect. In the Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG, Nero d'Avola is blended with the buoyant Frappato variety in a ratio that ranges from 70–50% Nero d'Avola to 30–50% Frappato. The DOCG also requires a restrained maceration time to maintain the glossy red color of the wine. Dorilli leaves its Nero d'Avola on the skins for 21 days and consists of 30% Frappato. PHOTOS COURTESY OF TAUB FAMILY SELECTIONS