Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
both. Donnafugata deserves much credit for
having invested heavily in Pantelleria and the
wine. Thanks to their efforts, differences in
subzones are becoming clear: Moscato and Pas-
sito di Pantelleria made with grapes grown in
different sectors of the island differ appreciably
in aroma and fl avor profi les. Areas (
contrade,
in
Sicily) in the southern half of the island—such
as Dietro Isola, Bukkuram, Martingana, and
Coste di Barone—tend to have earlier ripening
grapes that are best suited to air-drying. But
even in those southern areas, wines made with
grapes from Barone, which is located at four
hundred meters above sea level tend to be
lighter and more fragrant than those from Mar-
tingana, a warmer microclimate. The estate has
also recuperated a seven-hectare vineyard in
Khamma that is largely made up of pre-phyl-
loxeric vines. Furthermore, in March 2010,
Donnafugata set up an experimental vineyard
planted to thirty-three different biotypes of
Moscato di Alessandria (ten from Italy and
twenty-three from Spain, Greece, and France),
and is participating in a research project with
Attilio Scienza of the University of Milan, to
study this cultivar's biodiversity.
Not much Moscato di Alessandria is grown
in Italy outside Sicily, so monovarietal wines
are not to be found elsewhere. Instead, interest-
ing wines are made with this variety in other
countries. Look for the wines of Telmo Rod-
riguez (both dry Moscatel and sweet Moscatel
de Malaga wines) and Jorge Ordoñez in Spain
and those of Horácio Simões and Venâncio da
Costa Lima in Portugal. Perhaps the most
famous French wine made with Moscato di
Alessandria is Muscat de Rivesaltes, but the
wine is almost always a blend of both
Moscato
varieties.
Lenora Winery in California's Ramona val-
ley makes a lightly sweet estate Muscat of Alex-
andria wine; Treatch Cellars makes two differ-
ent wines with Moscato di Alessandria (my
preference goes to the one labeled Muscat of
Alexandria); I also remember liking Martinel-
li's 2002 Jackass Hill bottling quite a bit. Aus-
tralia's Brown Brothers makes numerous wines
called Zibibbo or Moscato (and one called
Lexia), all made with Moscato di Alessandria.
They also make pink versions of both Muscat-
labeled wines: the pink color is obtained via the
addition of small percentages of Cienna (a
crossing of Sumoll, a grape variety from Spain,
with Cabernet Sauvignon). In South Africa,
look for Boplaas Family Vineyards, Lillypilly
Estate, Sittella, and Stellar Organic Winery;
Constantia Uitsig Winery makes a thrilling
sweet version from Red Hanepoot (the rare red-
berried mutation of Moscato di Alessandria
found in South Africa but not in Italy) from the
oldest vines on their estate.
wines to try:
For Passito di Pantelleria, try: Don-
nafugata*** (Ben Ryè), Ferrandes***, Marco De
Bartoli*** (Bukkuram), Coste Ghirlanda
(L'Alcova), and Salvatore Murana* (famous
thanks to some Italian wine guides, but I'm less
impressed). For Moscato di Pantelleria, try: Don-
nafugata*** (Kebir), Coste Ghirlanda (Jardinu),
Terzavia**, and Serragghia-Gabrio Vini*.
THE RED-BERRIED MOSCATOS
Moscato di Scanzo
where it's found:
Lombardy.
national reg-
istry code number:
308.
color:
red.
All those who grow up in Bergamo and love
wine as I do cannot help but fall in love with
Moscato di Scanzo. Luigi Veronelli, Italy's
greatest wine expert ever (to whom I will always
be indebted for much of what I know about Ital-
ian wines), used to live in Bergamo and extolled
the virtues of Moscato di Scanzo at any chance
he had. However, Moscato di Scanzo's many
charms go far beyond halcyon memories of a
gilded childhood or a soft spot for the local dar-
ling: the variety is rare and unique, the wine is
great, and it's produced in the bucolic but steep
hillsides around Bergamo, one of Italy's pretti-
est if least-known countrysides. For those who
don't yet grasp the power of native grapes, busi-
ness boomed once the DOCG was established
in 2009: in the years following, one hotel, a
