CERASUOLO DI VITTORIA DOCG

Planeta

APPELLATION

Sicilia (Cerasuolo di Vittoria D.O.C.G.)

GRAPE VARIETIES

60% Nero d'Avola, 40% Frappato

WINEMAKERS

Patricia Toth

TECHNICAL DATA

Acidity
3.35 g/L
Alcohol
12.66%

2017

92POINTS

JamesSuckling.com

JUNE 2019

2019

90POINTS

Wine Spectator

OCTOBER 2021

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BACKGROUND

Planeta’s journey began at Sambuca di Sicilia, on the estate owned by the family since the 1600s. Here, three enthusiastic young Sicilians, Alessio, Francesca and Santi Planeta, under the guidance of Diego Planeta, began their winemaking venture in the mid-1980s. Subsequent years were spent matching the extraordinarily diverse Sicilian soils with both indigenous and international varieties. Planeta today encompasses six distinct wine estates in five regions across Sicily; Ulmo at Sambuca di Sicilia, Dispensa at Menfi, Dorilli at Vittoria, Buonivini at Noto, Sciara Nuova on Etna at Castiglione di Sicilia, and the newest addition, La Baronia at Capo Milazzo. Each vineyard site is carefully cultivated with grapes that best compliment the local terroir.

TERROIR & VINTAGE NOTES

From the countryside of Dorilli, between the sea and the Iblean mountains, known as the centre of excellence for Sicilian food, comes our Cerasuolo di Vittoria. The name of the only DOCG in Sicily comes from ‘Cerasa’, cherry in Sicilian dialect. It is produced from the indigenous varieties Nero d’Avola and Frappato. A unique wine, recognizable and unforgettable for its youthful flavors and aromas of cherry, strawberry and pomegranate, due to the particular soil and climate in which the grapes are cultivated. A wine which like few others combines tradition and delicious wine
The principal characteristic of the terroir is its red sand; the name of Cerasuolo derives from it, evoking the ‘cerasa,’cherry in Sicilian. Consisting chiefly of loose red sands with no stones and moderately deep; a tufa layer lies at about 90 cm, important for the vines’ water balance. These areas of fine, light red sand, leave their unmistakable mark on the aromatic profile of Cerasuolo.
After more than ten years of sustainable agriculture and several years of conversion 2021 was Planeta’s first year of organic certification. Everything went extremely well and the climate was a great help. Winter in Sicily had decidedly less rainfall in the east, During the agricultural year rainfall in the Southeast was 40% less than the ten-year average; this was remedied with the necessary irrigation. Budding occurred slightly earlier than usual and harvesting took place a week early. Abundant rainfall in the summer, and in between, dry days which were perfect for harvesting. Production was reduced by 15% at Vittoria, but with healthy grapes and a very intense Frappato.

WINEMAKING & AGING

Harvest took place September 17–19. The grapes are gathered by hand and machine and transported to the winery in small trolleys. They are pressed and destemmed, then sent to stainless steel vats and are stirred three times a day with very short pumping (10–25 min) according to the phase of fermentation, giving due care to skins and fruit. Fermentation lasts for 7–8 days. Once finished, the skins will have remained in contact with the wine for 13–15 days, then racked off. The malolactic fermentation occurs in the same vats, and after the next racking the maturing begins, always in stainless steel vats.

TASTING NOTES

Cerasulo is extraordinarily recognizable to the nose, with a cornucopia of red and wild fruits, wood strawberries, mulberry and pomegranate. It is distinctive for its pleasant spicy, almost oriental, notes of sandalwood, coriander and Sichuan pepper. In the mouth, the wine reflects black pepper mixed with carob and sweet cherries. A lively palate with a very full-bodied, rounded finish with notes of mulberry. In season, perfect with a piece of grilled tuna; Always ideal with white meat and tomato-based sauces; its harmony with pizza is surprising.