Grappoli del Grillo Sicilia Grillo DOC 2023

A spicy white wine built on tension rather than fullness. The nose opens with a bouquet of dried herbs: rosemary, thyme, sage and bay leaf, followed by ivy, linden blossom and elderwood. The fruit comes from orange, honeydew melon and ripe pear, the sweet spice from vanilla and star anise.

The vines are located in western Sicily, in Contrada, in Samperi and in Marsala, on limestone and sandy clay. In 1978, Marco de Bartoli realised his vision of authentic wines from the Grillo grape in Samperi; today Renato, Sebastiano and Giuseppina run the estate. The family farms 30 hectares organically, harvests exclusively by hand and works with native yeasts. 3500 vines per hectare are trained in alberello or guyot.

Pure Grillo from vines over 20 years old. The grapes are hand-selected and gently pressed, followed by 48 hours of cool fermentation with the wine's own yeasts in stainless steel tanks. Then twelve months in French barriques with regular bâtonnage. 13.0% vol., dry.

Precise and lean, carried by pronounced minerality and refreshing acidity. Distinctly saline notes sharpen the contour, fine bitter notes on the finish keep the wine stimulating.

With aromatic dishes featuring fruity components as well as cuisine using butter or olive oil.

With the 1990 vintage, the estate bottled its first single-varietal Grillo white wine here; until then, the grape was known mainly as a base wine for Marsala.