Her: This is going to sound pitifully shallow. Him: Go for it.
Her: I like this wine. A lot, actually. But, I don’t like talking about it. Nobody has heard of it.
Him: You’re right. That gets the pitifully shallow award.
Her: Not to mention the name … Perricone. It sounds plebeian.
Him: C’mon, your name is Perrie, for God’s sake. Not so far off.
Her: I’m only sayin’ that if you whisper something in my ear, ‘Perricone’ won’t get you where you want to go. A word like ‘ocean,’ maybe. It even sounds sexy: ohhh-shin.
Him: I think it’s the way you are saying it.
Her: What do you mean?
Him: Full voice, Perricone can sound a bit brash. But, it’s a different thing to whisper it. Listen. (Whispers in her ear.) “Perricone”. See?
Her: Shallow. But, effective. Turn down the light?
Were you to search the internet for “Perricone,” your computer browser would return more information relating to diet and fitness than for the Sicilian wine. Far more.
That’s a rather sad state of affairs for a grape variety with the potential to be the next great Sicilian red.
One of Sicily’s most interesting grape varieties, Perricone is said to have been brought by the Greeks more than two thousand years ago. Although an ancient Sicilian grape variety, Perricone’s glory days have long past. In the late 19th century, plantings of Perricone were plentiful in Sicily where it held status as an important red grape. It was used to give softness, texture and, at times, alcohol, to both red and white grape varieties, and has been a blending partner to the likes of Nero d’Avola, Marsala, and Catarratto. Most notable, perhaps, is Perricone’s role in making ruby Marsala.
Until relatively recently, to find monovarietal Perricone wines was no easy task. Frankly, it’s still not easy. But it is getting easier. Once widely planted in Sicily, Perricone, sometimes referred to as Pignatello, is yet another indigenous Italian grape variety to have suffered the ravages of phylloxera (early 1900’s). Having decades ago lost favor with producers, Perricone vineyards were eventually replaced with other varieties considered more regularly productive and disease resistant. As the third millennium approached, Perricone was nearly lost to time. Luckily, plantings of this promising native variety increased during the early 2000’s. Today, although Perricone plantings have gained a stronger foothold, there still exist only a few hundred hectares under vine.
Happily, there are small scale producers working to defend the survival of Perricone, advocating its value and, in my opinion, the variety’s growing importance. Three producers of note come quickly to mind.
In the town of Valledolmo, where there is a long tradition of Perricone, producer Castelluccio Miano makes a fantastic monovarietal version of Perricone by drying the grapes ahead of fermentation.
Further into Sicily’s southwest, in Menfi, from the vineyard Microcosmo, planted with old clones of Perricone and Nerello Mascalese, Cantine Barbera makes a wonderful wine, Microcosmo, which is 90% Perricone, 10% Nerello Mascalese and undergoes wild yeast fermentation.
Another producer to mention is Caruso & Minini, whose vineyards are located east of Marsala. Differing in production philosophy from Castellucci Miano and Cantine Barbera, Caruso & Minini eschew use of French oak barrels, opting instead to use stainless steel tanks to age the wine, followed by additional time in bottle before release.
Although somewhat different in style – actually, let us say different in personality – these wines are muscular in their own way, intense, complex, sophisticated, wonderful expressions of what Perricone can be all about. I say “can be” (all about) because, at some level, Perricone winemaking today is still finding its direction, that is to say, broad agreement on how the wines should taste and be made has not yet been reached.
It is still early in Perricone’s comeback timeline, a fact that bestows upon producer-advocates the opportunity to avoid the mistakes made by some producers of Sicily’s undisputed, most important red grape, Nero d’Avola (official name Calabrese). Though excellent monovarietal bottlings of Nero d’Avola are available, there are many more bottlings where its character is stifled by blending with international grape varieties. If producers of Perricone choose to exalt its uniqueness in bottlings of well-made monovarietal / near monovarietal wines, and avoid obscuring Perricone’s character in overwhelming, unauthentic blends, Perricone may well prove a Sicilian point fort in the market.
Enjoy Perricone with cured meats, grilled meats, cheeses, pasta with robust red sauces, eggplant parmigiana, roasted vegetables.
Tasting Note
Cantine Barbera Microcosmo
Floral, with intriguing spice notes, graceful tannins, Microcosmo is an exotic and romantic wine. A sensational bottle offering great value for money.
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