LA SEGRETA NERO D’AVOLA SICILIA DOC
Planeta
APPELLATION
Sicilia (Noto DOC)
GRAPE VARIETIES
100% Nero d’Avola
WINEMAKERS
Patricia Toth
TECHNICAL DATA
Acidity
3.55
Alcohol
13.5%
91POINTS
90POINTS
Planeta’s journey began at Sambuca di Sicilia, on the estate owned by the family since the 1600’s. 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.
The label for this single-variety La Segreta reflects a decorative detail of the Ulmo map – the oldest Planeta property – representing a ‘hortus conclusus’, a luxuriant area of fruit, flowers and vines within the walls, a synthesis of the beautiful agricultural countryside of Sicily.
Planeta’s story and journey began at Ulmo. In the mid-1980’s the first vines were planted around the 16th century family farmhouse. The first winery was built in 1995 on the banks of the Lake Arancio and its nearby woods. Hidden within the Menfi hills and with 395 acres of vineyard, the Dispensa estate is the beating heart of all the winery’s activities.
From the sea to the hills, up to an altitude of 1,312 feet, the Menfi territory holds the largest extent of Planeta’s vineyards. More than 618 acres are cultivated, and careful selections of vines are made – both indigenous and international varieties – to the specifics of each terroir. Soils from Dispensa vineyards are moderately deep, with very few stones, some degree of lime and average fertility.
After more than 10 years of sustainable agriculture and several years of converting to organic cultivation, everything went very well for Planeta in 2021. Budding occurred slightly earlier than usual but the harvest began only a week early. What actually determined the decidedly successful vintage was the rainfall: abundant for Sicilian summers, in June, July and August. In between there were dry days, perfect for the harvest. This rain mitigated the effects of the heat and produced a special harvest at Menfi. The grapes were perfectly healthy and this was a magnificent vintage in the west for quality as well as quantity, particularly for red wines.
Harvest occurred on September 5th. De-leafing and pressing is followed by 12 days on the skins at a temperature of 77°F with repeated daily mixing. After racking, the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation and rests until the end of February.
TASTING NOTESRuby red color with violet reflections. Typical varietal aromas of ripe plum, cocoa, wild fruit, and flawless spiciness. On the palate, full and tannins without excess. Ideal companion for classic Sicilian cooking, thus with pasta and sauce dishes and main meat courses.