MAROCCOLI SINGLE VINEYARD SYRAH, SICILIA MENFI DOC

Planeta

APPELLATION

Sicilia (Menfi D.O.C.)

GRAPE VARIETIES

100% Syrah

WINEMAKERS

Patricia Toth

TECHNICAL DATA

Acidity
3.6
Alcohol
13.5%

2019

93POINTS

Vinous
JUNE 2023
2019

92POINTS

JamesSuckling.com
SEPTEMBER 2023
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 sea to the hills, up to an altitude of 400 metres, the Menfi territory holds the largest extent of our vineyards. More than 250 hectares are cultivated, and careful selections of the vines are made, both indigenous and international varieties, to the specifics of each terroir.
Syrah is a noble Mediterranean grape which gives of its best in bright dry places like Sicily. This interpretation of Syrah is produced in a modern style, respecting all the characteristics of the vine. The soil is rich with pebbles and moderately chalky with abundant limey sections. An extraordinary micro-climate exists with breezes coming from the sea only a few kilometers away.
Overall 2019 saw an extraordinarily rainy autumn, which replenished the ground’s water reserves and somehow cooled the soil. The winter was fairly mild, although the spring was prolonged with rather low temperatures, particularly in May. This combination – cold soils, cool spring following a mild winter – made for an exceptionally late harvest throughout Sicily, except on Etna. Generally the grapes ripened avoiding the hottest periods at the end of July and beginning of August. Nero d’Avola was aromatic and colored as ever even with lower production.

WINEMAKING

Harvest took place between September 12th – 15th. The Syrah was gathered by hand into crates and immediately transported to the winery where they were pressed and destemmed, then the must was placed in stainless steel vats where the alcoholic fermentation begins. The grapes were agitated twice a day with very short pumping, to protect the skins and enhance the complexity of the wine. After 5–7 days fermentation, the tanks were filled with wine from the same vines, to macerate for 18–20 days with the skins in contact with the wine, and decanted at the finish.

AGEING

The wine is aged in Allier oak barrels (35% new, 35% second usage, 30% third usage).

TASTING NOTES

Sweet oriental spices and a faint memory of toasted cocoa accompany the wine in all its tasting phases, opening with distinct and sunny black fruit, then more wintery notes of leather and hummus. A captivating hint recalling the consistency of velvet with a finish of mint and black pepper.
Pair with marinated and grilled lamb cutlets, accompanied by mint or even with parmesan cheese and smoked provola.

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