27 Sep Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Firriato Sorìa 2019 Frappato, Sicilia DOC
Italy is known for having many grape varieties. Sicily alone has 250 grape varieties, however only 18 of them are used in the DOC wines. One of these grape varieties is Frappato. I love saying the word “Frappato” as much as I love drinking it, especially the Firriato Sorìa 2019 Frappato, Sicilia DOC, the Please The Palate wine of the week.
About Frappato
Fappato is a red Italian wine grape variety planted primarily in Sicily. It produces a light-bodied wine and is typically blended with Nero d’Avola to add complexity. This blend is most well known in Cerasuolo di Vittoria, Sicily’s only DOCG wine. The blend of Cerasuolo di Vittoria is between 30-50% Frappato. But Frappato is beautiful on its own with its aromas of sweet red berries and incense spice.
About Firriato
Firriato is an Italian word that means “enclosed” and relates to the French term “clos”. It is also the name of the winery Firriato, founded in 1978. Firriato is a family-run winery with seven estates in Sicily totaling 1200 acres of vineyards. Five of their estates are in Trapani on the west of Sicily, one is in Etna on the east of Sicily, and one is on an island near Trapani called Faviana Island. With mountain, sea, and countryside mountains, Firriato has three different terroirs and a diversity of soils. Firriato was one of the first wineries in Sicily to have taken an industrial and scientific approach to the environment and holds 15 certifications in all resources to make sustainable wine, including soil, water, power, materials, biodiversity, and more. All of Firriato’s vineyards are certified organic.
Tasting Notes
In the Trapani countryside at the Baglio Sorìa estate, the climate is sunny and mild and the soils have a high percentage of clay together with red marlstones and minerals. The wine is very aromatic with notes of cherries, strawberries, and raspberries. There are also notes of toasted nuts, licorice, and spice. It is light on the palate with moderate tannins and a bright, fresh finish.
Food Pairing
Frappato is light-bodied with fruit notes and balanced acid and tannins, which makes it very food-friendly. And putting a little chill on it helps as well. Enjoy Frappato with meat dishes, salami, arancini, and pizza. It is also a wine that can be paired with fish. I enjoyed this wine with a traditional Sicilian pasta dish, Busiata pasta with pistachio, shrimp, and tomato.
Where To Purchase
The Firriato Sorìa Frappato, Sicilia DOC retails for $24 and is available in the US. Check out wine-searcher.com to find a local retailer.