20 Oct Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Centonze 2017 Cerasuolo Di Vittoria Classico DOCG, Sicilia

Having recently returned from a trip to Italy, I have been dreaming of Italian food and wine. While I did not travel to Sicily on this past trip, I decided to revisit a wine I had coravined a couple months ago. I opened it up and enjoyed it over a few meals this past week. A great, food-friendly wine, the Centonze 2017 Cerasuolo Di Vittoria Classico DOCG, Sicilia is the Please The Palate wine of the week. There are 75 Italian DOCGs (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) but only one of them is from Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Sicily is home to 23 DOCs (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) but the only DOCG is Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG. Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG is located in near the commune of Vittoria in the southeast of Sicily. Here elevations are lower and temperatures are higher, making it ideal for red wine production. The name “cerasuolo” means “cherry” in Sicilian. This name comes from the red sand soils but also perhaps because of the red fruit aromatic profile of the Cerasuolo wines. Cerasuolo di Vittoria earned DOCG status in 2005. The wine must be a blend of 50%-70% Nero d’Avola and 35%-50% must be Frappato. The Nero d’Avola brings color, structure and depth to the final blend, while Frappato offers aromatics and freshness. Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG must aged for a minimum of 8 months for a Rosso and a minimum of 18 months for a Classico (grapes grown in the traditional zone). The minimum alcohol level is 12.5%. Centonze Srl was established in 1998 by a family of oenologists, father Giovanni Centonze together with his son Nicola and daughter Carla. Nicola consults for a number of estates throughout Sicily and the best grapes in the best vineyards at these estates are chosen, vinified and bottled with the label of Centonze. The Centonze 2017 Cerasuolo Di Vittoria Classico DOCG is a deep bright purple color and has notes of dried flowers, dark cherry, plum, blackberry, pomegranate, allspice, and minerality. On the palate, the wine is very appealing with a beautiful silky texture and fresh acidity. The Centonze 2017 Cerasuolo Di Vittoria Classico DOCG retails for $20 and can be paired with a variety of dishes. I enjoyed my bottle over a few nights and paired it with eggplant parmesan and pizza but it can also be enjoyed with lambchops, beef or pasta with tomato sauce.