Lamoresca
Nerocapitano, 2019

Grower: Lamoresca
Region: Sicily, Italy
Grape Varieties: Frappato
Viticulture: Uncertified Organic
Size: 75cl bottle

Lamoresca, run by Fillip Rizzo and his wife Nancy sits isolated, secluded and exposed on all sides for 50km. It’s an arid setting set apart from its southerly neighbour the appellation of Vittoria. This part of southern Sicily on the Catania side is better know for wheat and the agriculture of prickly pears than it is wine grapes. It’s a place Fillipo knows well though. A native returned, convinced that wine growing was not only possible but promising. Across the 5 hectares the vines work hard for sustenance in a mix of clay and sandstone but benefit from the cool temperature fluctuation from day to night. Vineyard work is considered and Fillipo is often sited as going beyond any organic labelling or certification. He picks at optimum ripeness, pursuant and accepting of low yields and delivering wines of elegance, minerality and balance. Interestingly, people often make the connection between the wines of Frank Cornellison and Fillipos. Whilst Fillipo certainly trained with Frank on a many vintages, the wines are distinctly different in character. And it’s important to distinguish between the two areas as the wines in the South are often in the shadow of Etna both figuratively and literally, when really, these speak of the Mediterranean, of the interior and of the south. A frappato (known to the locals as nerocapitano) grown in between sun and sea at 450 meter in elevation. A certain texture and plumpness makes it a crowd-pleasing wine, with integrated acidity, tannins and delivering a remarkably smooth palate. Wonderfully approachable and versatile with food.