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Wine from Senia
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The estate of Tenute Senia was founded in 1850 by the family Nicosia in the Senia district of the province of Ragusa and now consists of 17 hectares total. The vineyards lie on the sides of Mont Iblei at 300 meters above sea level on a southwest exposure. The red soil is clay and sand mixed with stones. The relatively infertile terrain encourages the concentrated structure with a light color and beautiful aromatics. There are 4,000 plants per hectare. The estate prides itself on its sustainable agriculture. Wild fennel, myrtle and mustard along with other wild herbs grow spontaneously between the vineyard rows.
Cerasuolo di Vittoria is Sicily’s first and only DOCG. The name Cerasuolo, it is said, refers to its beautiful cherry red color. Legend goes that the viticultural heritage of the area is due in large part to Vittoria Colonna, Contessa of Modica who founded the city of Vittoria in 1606 and offered the first 75 settlers a hector of land if they promised to produce another hectare of vineyard. The main grapes planted were Nero d’Avola, also known as Nero Calabrese, and Frappato. Frappato is an indigenous grape grown only in Sicily. Its special floral, ripe cherry and ginger qualities are what give Cerasuolo di Vittoria its uniqueness. The rich red soil of sand and small stones together with the warm microclimate of Southern Sicily combine to produce a wine of finesse and enticing fragrance with a fresh, lengthy finish. The marriage of Nero d’Avola and Frappato is a union blessed by Bacchus but both grapes are also spectacular as monovarietals. The Nicosios make Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG, Vittoria Nero d’Avola DOC and Vittoria Frappato DOC. They also make exceptional IGT versions just outside the Vittoria area.
Generations of Nicosios have researched the indigenous clones of Nero d’Avola, Frappato, Grillo and Insolia to ensure a production that is genuine and which uses only original clones. The 7th generation, the sisters, Valentina and Angela, now run the estate and they are no less fanatical than their predecessors in the protecting the purity of their wines. In a time when most Sicilian producers are busily planting international varietals such as Cabernet, Merlot, Chardonnay and Syrah, traditionalists such as Valentina and Angela Nicosio are all too few. From the time of the Greeks and Romans, this area of Southern Sicily has been known for its exceptional wine production. Valentina and Angela are working hard to keep this venerable tradition alive.
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Ti Cuntu… means “I will tell you a story…” in Sicilian dialect and it refers to the ability of the wines made from these native grapes to tell the story of their terroir and of their history. The label shows the dry stone walls and the wild myrtle which characterize their territory.
Frappato is a rare native grape of Vittoria and is almost exclusively grown in Eastern Sicily. The vineyards lie on the sides of Mont Iblei at 300 meters above sea level on a south-west exposure. The relatively infertile terrain encourages the concentrated structure with a light color and beautiful aromatics. Irrigation is generally avoided. There are 4,000 plants per hectare. Agriculture is sustainable and no herbicides or pesticides are used and wild herbs fill the vineyard rows.
Color: Light cherry red with garnet reflections.
Bouquet: A ripe strawberry, black cherry, roses and violets fill the bouquet along with notes of blackberries, raspberries and blueberries.
Taste: Fresh and berry-filled with an intriguing root beer note. The tannins are refined and the acidity lively. The finish is notable and long.
Excellent with cold meats and salamis, seafood and light pasta dishes.
Senia Ti Cuntu Frappato Rosato is made from 100% Frappato.
Ti Cuntu… means “I will tell you a story…” in Sicilian dialect and it refers to the ability of the wines made from these native grapes to tell the story of their terroir and of their history. The label shows the dry stone walls and the wild myrtle which characterize their territory.
Frappato is a rare native grape of Vittoria and is almost exclusively grown in Eastern Sicily. The vineyards lie on the sides of Mont Iblei at 300 meters above sea level on a south-west exposure. The relatively infertile terrain encourages the concentrated structure with a light color and beautiful aromatics. Irrigation is generally avoided. There are 4,000 plants per hectare. Agriculture is sustainable and no herbicides or pesticides are used and wild herbs fill the vineyard rows.
Color: Bright salmon pink with garnet reflections
Bouquet: A ripe strawberry, berries, pomegranate, roses and violets fill the bouquet.
Taste: Fresh and berry-filled. The tannins are refined and the acidity lively. The finish is notable and long.
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Winery Notes:
Each year, we set aside the best barrels of our Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley to produce Special Selection. Distinguished by extremely fine, velvety tannins and enjoyable upon release or with aging. A wine of structure with intense concentration of supple flavors and dark fruits. Special Selection is the only wine in the world honored twice as Wine Spectator magazine’s “Wine of the Year.”
'Belle Côte', French for “Beautiful Slope”, was named by Sir Peter after the famous ski run in Courchevel, France. The oldest of the four Knights Valley Estate Chardonnay vineyards, ‘Belle Côte’ consistently exemplifies the potential of crafting exceptionally high-quality Chardonnay from our mountain vineyards. Planted at 1,700 to 1,800 feet (518 to 549 meters), Belle Côte has a southeastern exposure and a western border of native trees, which shelter the vines from the hot afternoon sun. These unique attributes create a naturally cool microclimate that provides an extended growing period and slow-ripening fruit, resulting in a later picking schedule that often continues into October (two to three weeks longer than most Chardonnay vineyards in Napa and Sonoma Counties).
Vintage Notes
The combination of a wet winter with significant rains in December through March and cool weather delayed budbreak nearly a month. Flowering and fruit set were also pushed back and the weather during the later flowering was favorable resulting in decent fruit set and slightly above average yields for the Chardonnay vineyards—a marked improvement over the record-low yielding 2022 vintage. The growing season was temperate without major heat spikes allowing the berries to hold onto their acidity which carried through into the wines. Harvest was almost a month later than normal with the last Belle Côte block coming in on November 2nd.
Winegrowing Notes
As the oldest of the four Peter Michael Winery estate Chardonnay blocks, 'Belle Côte' exemplifies the consistent quality of Chardonnay these mountain vineyards produce. Due to the naturally cool climate of the site’s high elevation, and mitigated exposure to the hot afternoon sun by its southeastern exposure and a stand of trees on its western border, the vines are allowed to slowly ripen. The growing season for Belle Côte typically extends into October, two to three weeks longer than most Chardonnay vineyards in Napa and Sonoma Counties.
Winemaker's Tasting Notes
With highly expressive aromatics of orange blossom, jasmine, candied orange peel, and rose petal, the 2023 'Belle Côte' showcases its unique terroir and thirty-three-year-old vines with a rich, creamy entry, dense, broad, juicy mid-palate and a lengthy, refined finish. There is a seamless quality to this wine that matches power, gras, and intensity with structure and weightlessness. The 2023 'Belle Côte' can be enjoyed in its youth or after many years of cellaring.
Review:
This extraordinary estate-grown wine from a great vintage is super vibrant, energized and tangy, with vital acidity supporting luscious ripe pear and apple flavors on a silky texture. Can't think of anything it lacks. Seamless, layered, yet structured and fresh, boding well for longer-term aging. It has a melts-in-the-mouth quality and an extra long finish. Drinkable now and best from 2030.
-James Suckling 100 Points
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