PASSITO DI NOTO DOC
Planeta
APPELLATION
Sicilia (Noto DOC)
GRAPE VARIETIES
100% Moscato Bianco
WINEMAKERS
Patricia Toth
TECHNICAL DATA
Acidity
3.28
Alcohol
12%
90POINTS
95POINTS
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 NOTESExtensive research to find the best terroir to cultivate Sicily’s most important grape variety, Nero d’Avola brought us to Noto, where the DOC Noto insists the variety originates, at the southern extremity of Sicily. Noto was the third stage of the Planeta Family’s journey in Sicily. In 1998 we founded our estate, which coincidentally has always been called ‘Buonivini’. The soft hills of Buonivini, white limestone soil with an abundance of small stones, breezes arising from the meeting of two seas, create the best conditions to make the vines grow successfully. Here Nero d’Avola and Moscato grow together with almonds, carobs and olives, symbolic plants of the Mediterranean location.
This Passito di Noto is produced from one of the oldest vines in the world, Moscato Bianco. The passito is a very ancient wine which is now produced with the modern system of ‘appassimento’ (grape drying).
The harvest period ran from August 25th through 30th. The grapes were picked when well ripened at the end of August and then dried in the fruit cellar, placed in 5 kg crates in a ventilated atmosphere at 23°C.
Six weeks of drying guarantees a high concentration of sugars and some natural transformation of the grapes contributes to the extraordinary aromas of apricot, rose petals, papaya and quince.
When half their weight has been lost, about 40 days later, the grapes are pressed and the must thus obtained, which is particularly rich in sugars and ferments slowly at 18°C for more than a month in stainless steel vats, where they remain until bottling.
Sweet and fleshy but also lively with citrus notes; It recalls nougat and candied ginger. Explosive aromas of exotic fruit, jasmine, candied citrus fruit are complex but easy to admire.
The ideal companion for the great Sicilian tradition of sweets, ice creams and dried fruits as well as being enriched by fruits with a prominent acidic content.
RESOURCES
Planeta Portfolio
