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On a cold Thursday evening in January (with wind chill, it must have been minus 181 degrees) I went to the Lebanon Three Tomatoes Trattoria to hang out with Robert Meyers, co-owner, while he poured samples of four Sicilian wines. Each Thursday patrons going to the Lebanon trattoria can taste interesting and unusual wines, and then order a glass - or a bottle - to drink with their dinner. Robert and his wife Phyllis went to Sicily recently to meet with Sicilian wine makers and to learn more about the newest, boldest collection of wines coming out of Italy.
For centuries Sicilians have made wine, but it was largely jug wine made for local consumption. According to Robert, there is now a group of young vintners who have studied oenology or worked at other wineries and who really have mastered the science of making excellent wine. Sicilian wines are the up-and-coming wines of the decade.
The first wine I tasted was made with a varietal (a variety of grape) called Zibibbo. The wine, Lighea, was a fruity white wine with hints of peach (though how peach flavor gets into a wine made only with grapes is still a mystery to me). I liked it, though not everyone that night did. One woman was quite outspoken in her rejection of it - she liked oaky Chardonnays, which are in a totally different place on the range of white wines. But that's the nice thing about the Thursday night tastings - you get a small taste to see if you like it before buying a glass.
The other white wine offered that night was called La Segreta Bianco and was a blend made by the Planeta winery. Unlike the first white I tried, this was a blend of 4 different grapes: 50% Grecanico, 30% Chardonnay, 10% Viognier, 10% Fiano. According to the winery's description, "La Segreta Bianco is pale gold with a light, greenish hue. It has a lively aromatic bouquet that mingles hints of lychee, pineapple, kumquat, peach blossom, and wild mint. The mouthfeel is full, dry and balanced by a persistent natural acidity typical of this blend and winemaking approach. The wine is smooth and supple with a satisfying aftertaste of mint, and a long finish." I liked it.
Next Robert served us two red wines made with a varietal called Nero Di Avola. One was made at the Cusumano winery, the other at Regaleali. The two properties were only about 60 miles apart, and Robert had visited them both. What struck me was how very different the wines were. The first was an easy sipping wine with soft edges, the second had a dry finish that left my mouth, while not puckered up, certainly feeling the effects of its dryness.
What made the wines so different? Not only the terroir(which refers to the soil and microclimate, and how they affect the flavor of the grapes) but also what was done after picking. A wine aged in oak is very different from one aged in stainless steel, for example, and temperature and the type of yeast used to ferment the juice differs from winery to winery.
According to Robert, the north slopes of Mount Etna (an active volcano) is one of the prime wine-producing areas in Sicily. Mount Etna is not far from Palermo in the north east part of Sicily, and has black sandy soil. A varietal called Nerello Mascalese is the primary grape grown there. Five or six young producers are making wines of exceptional quality. What makes these wines special? The volcanic soils give the juices an exceptional flavor that is not found elsewhere. Not only that, it is an area of consistent sunshine.
The growers on Mount Etna know how to grow this grape, having worked with it for generations, and often prune both leaves and grape clusters to get a harvest with exceptional flavor. Many of the wines grown there are organic - as they were for centuries before chemical companies convinced farmers everywhere that there is a "better world through chemicals". Now growers are looking for ways to minimize or eliminate the use of chemicals. The vines are grown up the mountain to a height of about 3,000 feet, which is unusual for vineyards.
All in all, Robert and Phyllis Meyers visited 19 wine makers in Sicily during their recent trip. Did it change anything for the restaurants? Not really, said Robert. But he liked expanding his knowledge about the wines of the region. He said, "I like Sicily. It's rural. There's lots of fish and vegetable production." And, of course, there are lots of wines that are not readily available in the States, each with a distinctive flavor.
So don't be daunted by the cold weather this winter. Get out on a Thursday night. Taste some new wines, have a good meal, and dream of Sicily. I'm already planning a trip there.
Henry's new book is a children's chapter book (for grades 3 and up) about a boy born with a magic mustache and the ability to talk with animals. Wobar, the boy, and his best friend, a cougar, go on a quest to find and Indian peace pipe or calumet that was stolen during the Revolutionary War. Learn more about Wobar and the Quest for the Magic Calumet at www.henryhomeyer.com
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