Perricone, 2019. Caruso and Minini

Caruso and Minini is an unlikely partnership between a Sicilian family's winery and a northern Italian family's marketing firm. You can't get much further away than that whether you're talking distance or cultures. Because Sicily has been conquered by every state that ruled the "world" during different times and left part of their cultures there, the mainland thought of them as unworthy to be called Italian. However, the fact that Sicily is one of the top destination points in Italy has made it clear that today this place is firmly held in very high esteem.

The original winery building was constructed in 1904. It has been preserved by the families as a testament to its rich history and culture. Preserving history is one thing nearly all Italians have in common. Of course, when you have a history like Italy, there's no question it's worth preserving.

One thing the Caruso family fully embraced was the preservation of the vineyard using only natural products. It is interesting to note that the proliferation of herbicides and pesticides, many of which are as harmful to the grapes as well as the humans exposed to them, didn't exist a century ago. Many great wines have been made without them during Sicily's more than 2,500 years of winemaking.

Perricone is a native grape that has some DNA ties to Sangiovese. It is a thick-skinned grape which produces a rather large and imposing wine. Notes of licorice and earth pervade its presence requiring strong tomato sauces and rich meats to tame them.

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