Lighea

I Vini

Few years back nobody would have bet on Sicily as a great wine country, but thanks to a new generation of producers we now have world class wines, like Faro Palari by Salvatore Geraci; Rosso del Conte by the Tasca family (Regaleali); Frappato di Vittoria by Gaetana Iacono (Valle dell’Acate); Marsala Vecchio Samperi by Marco De Bartoli; and also Marco De Grazia Tenuta delle Terre Nere; Benanti Serra della Contessa; Gulfi Neromaccarj; and Planeta Cometa.

The wine of the month is 2010 Lighea by the Rallo’s family Donnafugata: A fresh enticing white wine made from Zibibbo grapes in the island of Pantelleria, it has a dry style, rather than the sweet-fruity characteristics that Zibibbo is usually known for (the sweetest grapes). With this wine, I taste passion fruit, tropical fruit, orange blossom and cinnamon; it is a slightly dry and aromatic wine.

Type

White – Zibibbo Sicily IGP.

Grapes:

Zibibbo (Muscat of Alexandria).

Production area: 

island of Pantelleria (South-western Sicily);Khamma, Mulini, Mueggen, Ghirlanda, Serraglia, Gibbiuna, Barone, Bukkuram, Favarotta.

Altitude: 

200 to 400 m AMSL

Orography:

terraced slopes.

Soils:

Sandy, originating from lava, they vary between sub-acidic and neutral (pH 6.5 – 7). Deep, fertile soils well-endowed with minerals.