This is not the first time we have reviewed a [link id=”11146″ text=”Firriato wine”], and it probably won’t be the last. They bring classic Sicilian wines to the American market in a way that makes everyone happy. They use indigenous varietals and focus on classic wine styles. The winery is not technically in Sicily; it is located on the mountainous island of Favignana, which is part of the Sicily DO.
Winemaker Giuseppe Pellegrino has put together a fantastic portfolio of wines since the winery was founded in 1985. In the nineties, he and his team brought in young winemakers from Australia and New Zealand to help the Sicilians translate their wines for the American palate. A few talented “New World” winemakers have gotten their start at Firriato, including Sam Connew (Stargazers Winery in Australia) and Alana McGettigan (Allora Wines and Kiwi-Oeno in New Zealand). It’s a brilliant concept that has helped Firriato build a following in the USA.
Wine Review of Cantina Firriato 2011 Quater Bianco
Not surprisingly, the Quater Bianco is a blend of four white grapes, Zibibbo, Grillo, Catarratto, and Carricante. Zibbio is the local term for Muscat of Alexandria, most often used for dessert wines in southern Spain and several Greek islands. Here, it gives the illusion of being sweet: the wine is bone dry—aroma of ripe nectarines and peaches intermingled with water lily—white fruit flavors on the palate like Tony Soprano. White pepper and oyster shell come forward in the super-ripe finish. 90 Points.