Grillo, 2020. Caruso and Minini

Antonio Caruso purchased his vineyard on Sicily's western coast in the late 1800s. It is located near the town that makes one of Italy's finest aperitifs, Marsala, and in the beginning he sold his grapes to Marsala producers. This went on for more than half a century, until in the mid 1900's Nino Caruso decided to bottle and produce his own wine.

Several generations later, Stefano Caruso joined with Mario Manini in a partnership and launched the present-day winery and vineyards. The estate is now nearly 300 acres, 12 acres of which are dedicated to Grillo grapes that are farmed organically and biodynamically, which is where our selection was born. The vineyard is cooled by strong winds from the sea but is far enough away that the winds do not damage the vines. The alluvial soil is rich in water and organic substances since it was once underwater millions of years ago. Their winery also boasts interesting rock formations called "cuti" in the local dialect. These stones soak up the suns heat and distributes it onto the vines, allowing an earlier harvest which makes for higher acidity in the wines.

Our selections grapes are considered relatively new as they weren't discovered until the late 1800s. Some believe that Grillo grapes are native to Sicily and related to Catarratto and Muscat. That's easy to believe as it has a similar flashy, racy fruit component and presence. Aromas of peach and guava brighten the senses while the apricot reaches the palate. At once both imposing and delicate, it is made for pasta featuring eggplant and anchovies or shrimp in a mint pesto.

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