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Feature Region - Sicily

Feature Region - Sicily

Feature Region Sicily

Thanks to the Greeks, Sicilians have been making wine since 4000BC, so just a little longer than us Aussies, then. The Mediterranean climate and diverse landscape has contributed to much of the success of Sicily’s wines, creating near-perfect growing conditions with very little threat of disease or rot. Opportunists saw the potential to harness these optimum growing conditions to create a bulk wine market, which has muddied Sicily’s reputation as a quality wine producer. However, we have faith, nay, proof, that Sicily can create some of the world’s most special wines from this exceptional Italian island – the largest in the Mediterranean, may we add.

VOLCANIC VINEYARDS

Besides having as much topographical diversity as many countries, Sicily’s wine growing regions have unique selling points and benefits due to their own microclimates and ancient geologies. Moreover, the climate means that Sicilian wines are particularly well-placed for organic farming, a classification gaining traction worldwide, yet isn’t always top-of-mind for producers from other European regions.

Infusing the Spirit

Perhaps the best example of Sicily’s uniqueness is the mighty Mount Etna, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, which provides fertile soils that has become one of the more interesting wine regions in the world. Wines from Etna profile the region’s unique (and sometimes dangerous) terroir, with volcanic rock being a common tasting note. Perhaps there’s no other Etna producer quite as intriguing as Frank Cornelissen, a Belgian whose lo-fi winemaking, diverse plantings in the vineyard and ‘outdoor winery’ has given rise to some of the most sought-after natural wines imaginable.

While wines from Italy tend not to be under such stringent rules as those in France, they do have their own classification systems that denote quality and guarantee of regional production. There is only one Sicilian wine that has been granted the highest classification DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) – Cerasuolo di Vittoria – a blend of two of Sicily’s most famous grapes – Nero d’Avola and Frappato. There are 23 other Sicilian wines that fall under the lower DOC classification, yet it’s sometimes those that fall between the cracks of the oft over-politicised official classifications that gain the reputation as being a must-have cult wine.
It’s these must-have cult wines that we care about most when finding Sicilian wines to feature on Sometimes Always, regardless of classification. We want to show off Sicily in all its Mediterranean, volcanic glory and tell the stories of the producers who have reshaped the region for the better, by taking things right back to basics and making wines not too differently from what they would have done in 4000BC. Okay, perhaps a little more sophisticated, but organic, handcrafted wines and focus on infusing the spirit of each individual site in a bottle is what we are most interested in.

These are wines that tell a unique story that are impossible to just drink and forget. They inspire conversation, spark debate and make you want to learn more about the people behind the label. Like the island itself, they are rustic, romantic and a little unpredictable. It’s no wonder the global reputation of Sicilian wines have erupted in recent years.

Pun absolutely intended.
These are wines that tell a unique story that are impossible to just drink and forget. They inspire conversation, spark debate and make you want to learn more about the people behind the label.

Wine List

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Tornatore Etna Bianco 2022
$55.00
Traditional
Tornatore - Etna Bianco 2022 White Wine
Giovanni Rosso Etna Bianco Carricante 2022
$70.00
Traditional
Giovanni Rosso - Etna Bianco Carricante 2022 White Wine
Frank Cornelissen Munjebel MC Nerello Mascalese 2020
$220.00
Lo-fi / Natural
Frank Cornelissen - Munjebel MC Nerello Mascalese 2020 Red Wine
Frank Cornelissen Munjebel FM Nerello Mascalese 2020
$220.00
Lo-fi / Natural
Frank Cornelissen - Munjebel FM Nerello Mascalese 2020 Red Wine
Frank Cornelissen Munjebel VA Nerello Mascalese 2020
$290.00
Lo-fi / Natural
Frank Cornelissen - Munjebel VA Nerello Mascalese 2020 Red Wine
Frank Cornelissen Magma Nerello Mascalese 2020
$650.00
Lo-fi / Natural
Frank Cornelissen - Magma Nerello Mascalese 2020 Red Wine
Tornatore Etna Rosso 2020
$55.00
Traditional
Tornatore - Etna Rosso 2020 Red Wine
I Custodi Aedes Etna Bianco Carricante 2022
$62.00
Progressive
I Custodi - Aedes Etna Bianco Carricante 2022 White Wine
I Custodi Pistus Etna Rosso Nerello Mascalese 2021
$62.00
Progressive
I Custodi - Pistus Etna Rosso Nerello Mascalese 2021 Red Wine
Serragghia di Giotto & Gabrio Bianco Zibibbo 2021
$190.00
Lo-fi / Natural
Serragghia di Giotto & Gabrio - Bianco Zibibbo 2021 Orange Wine
Mortellito Calaniuru Bianco Grillo / Catarotto 2022
$45.00
Progressive
Mortellito - Calaniuru Bianco Grillo / Catarotto 2022 White Wine
Mortellito Viaria Bianco Moscatella Di Noto 2022
$49.00
Progressive
Mortellito - Viaria Bianco Moscatella Di Noto 2022 White Wine
Pianogrillo Grillo 2022
$46.00
Lo-fi / Natural
Pianogrillo - Grillo 2021 White Wine
Occhipinti SP68 Bianco 2023
$65.00
Lo-fi / Natural
Occhipinti - SP68 Bianco 2023 Orange Wine
Occhipinti SP68 Rosso Nero d’Avola / Frappato 2022
$54.00
Lo-fi / Natural
Occhipinti - SP68 Rosso Nero d’Avola / Frappato 2022 Red Wine
Mortellito Tuttu Rosso Blend 2022
$49.00
Progressive
Mortellito - Tuttu Rosso Blend 2022 Red Wine
Poggio Anima Nero d'Avola 2022
$24.00
Traditional
Poggio Anima - Nero d'Avola 2021 Red Wine
Occhipinti Siccagno Nero d'Avola 2021
$95.00
Lo-fi / Natural
Occhipinti - Siccagno Nero d'Avola 2021 Red Wine
Poggio Anima Sicilia Grillo 2023
$25.00
Traditional
Poggio Anima - Sicilia Grillo 2022 White Wine
Biscaris Frappato 2022
$65.00
Progressive
Biscaris - Frappato 2022 Red Wine
Serragghia di Giotto & Gabrio Fanino Pignatello / Catarratto 2021
$190.00
Lo-fi / Natural
Serragghia di Giotto & Gabrio - Fanino Pignatello / Catarratto 2021 Red Wine
Mortellito Calaniuru Rosso Frappato / Nero d'Avola 2022
$45.00
Progressive
Mortellito - Calaniuru Rosso Frappato / Nero d'Avola 2022 Red Wine
Lamoresca Bianco Vermentino 2022
$60.00
Lo-fi / Natural
Lamoresca - Bianco Vermentino 2022 Orange Wine
Occhipinti Il Frappato 2022
$95.00
Lo-fi / Natural
Occhipinti - Il Frappato 2022 Red Wine
Poggio Anima Terre Siciliane Rosato Raphael 2023
$25.00
Traditional
Poggio Anima - Terre Siciliane Rosato Raphael 2023 Rosé
Frank Cornelissen Munjebel CR Nerello Mascalese 2020
$220.00
Lo-fi / Natural
Frank Cornelissen - Munjebel CR Nerello Mascalese 2020 Red Wine
Frank Cornelissen Munjebel CS Nerello Mascalese 2020
$280.00
Lo-fi / Natural
Frank Cornelissen - Munjebel CS Nerello Mascalese 2020 Red Wine
COS Rami Izolia / Grecanico 2022
$68.00
Lo-fi / Natural
COS - Rami Izolia / Grecanico 2022 Orange Wine
COS Pithos Bianco White Blend 2021
$84.00
Lo-fi / Natural
COS - Pithos Bianco White Blend 2021 Orange Wine
GioVino Bianco Lucido Cataratto 2021
$30.00
Lo-fi / Natural
GioVino - Bianco Lucido Cataratto 2021 White Wine
Artigiano Grillo 2021
$25.00
Traditional
Artigiano - Grillo 2021 White Wine
Frank Cornelissen Munjebel Perpetuum 2 Nerello Mascalese NV
$240.00
Lo-fi / Natural
Frank Cornelissen - Munjebel Perpetuum 2 Nerello Mascalese NV Red Wine
Fabrizio Vella Bianco Organico Cataratto 2021
$25.00
Progressive
Fabrizio Vella - Bianco Organico Cataratto 2021 White Wine
Vanita Gold Label Nerello Mascalese / Nero d'Avola 2020
$32.00
Progressive
Vanita - Gold Label Nerello Mascalese / Nero d'Avola 2020 Red Wine
Vanita Grillo 2021
$28.00
Traditional
Vanita - Grillo 2021 White Wine
Poggio Anima Nero d'Avola 2021
$25.00
Traditional
Poggio Anima - Nero d'Avola 2021 Red Wine