There are ancient Greek ruins at one corner; at another, a baroque hilltop town; then, walking through a medieval village near a gorgeous coastline with the pristine turquoise water rhythmically lapping up onto the golden sand and then all of a sudden, lava is flowing a short distance away on one of the most active volcanoes in the world – Mount Etna. It would seem that this journey throughout many different extraordinary areas happens within a continent. But no, it is the Italian island of Sicily, which, understandably, many think of as a continent in itself for many reasons.
Sicily is a land filled with a wealth of diversity that not only ranges from landscapes but also in heritage, as Greeks, Romans, French, Arabs, Austrians, French and many more migrated to Sicily at one time or another, and one can see it in the culture, architecture, food and language.
Also, they have over 65 native wine grape varieties, planted in various types of terroirs with different aspects and climatic conditions, and remarkably, even though Sicilians have kept old traditions alive by prioritizing a close relationship to the land, growing an abundance of crops that thrive in their splendid Mediterranean paradise, they have been highly sophisticated in cutting-edge agricultural research programs that have heavily focused on their native grape varieties. Hence, Sicily is an ideal place to experience the multidimensional qualities of various native grapes produced using the highest quality techniques.
How could such a dichotomy of an old world connection with the land and some of the most progressive research in Italian grape varieties exist? Part of the answer has to do with a handful of multigenerational Sicilian families that have been at the forefront of leading the charge for Sicilian wines, and one of those families founded their first winery 195 years ago as well as established the first recognized single vineyard in Sicily 55 years ago.
Tenuta Regaleali
The Tasca family is one of the vital pillars in the Sicilian wine community with their handful of estates across Sicily, and their first estate, Tenuta Regaleali, has been passed down for eight generations, celebrating its 195th anniversary this year.
Many notable distinctions can be made about the Tasca family, and one crucial distinction is the establishment of the first single vineyard in Sicily, which is made under the label “Rosso del Conte,” planted in 1959; the first official single vineyard bottling was released in 1970. Two indigenous red grape varieties are grown in this vineyard: Nero d’Avola, the king of Sicilian grapes, and Perricone, an ancient grape that makes well-rounded wines with a lovely fruit expression overall. The grape vines are trained as bush vines, one of the oldest forms of trellising that often lends itself to producing more concentrated fruit at an elevation of over 1,500 feet.
Today, Alberto Tasca is leading Tenuta Regaleali to a better tomorrow and he has undoubtedly had some great role models in his life as his grandfather planted the single vineyard many decades ago. During that time, France was known for having the greatest wines, so his grandfather traveled to Châteauneuf-du-Pape (CdP), in the Rhône Valley, located towards the south of France, as it was a great wine region with a Mediterranean climate like Sicily, although the Tenuta Regaleali estate has cooler temperatures at night due to higher elevations with the protection of mountains surrounding it. The vines are typically grown on bush vines in CdP, and interestingly enough, the Perricone grape resembles the Grenache grape, an essential component of the acclaimed red blends of CdP. That is where his grandfather’s inspiration started, and he brought those ideas back to Sicily and connected them to the Sicilian soul by using native varieties.
When it comes to Sicily, Alberto is tremendously proud of everything that makes it unique, with 70% of the island consisting of hills with a mosaic of soils that were created by the collision of two tectonic plates (Eurasian and African) as well as the two volcanoes on the island, one of them being Europe’s most active, and Sicily being a melting pot with a wide range of influences from a multitude of cultures.
Alberto’s passion and commitment to keep raising the bar for Sicily is evident by his overseeing the island’s sustainability practices as chairman of Fondazione SOStain Sicilia and conducting a long-term research project on specific site expressions on his vineyards located on the active volcano Mount Etna, to name a couple.
Echoes Of The Past
Although this famed single vineyard wine is known by the name Rosso del Conte, the vineyard name itself holds a special connection as it is called San Lucio Vineyard, named after Alberto Tasca’s great-grandfather and father. Alberto’s father, Lucio, was one of a few men who ushered in the modern age of Sicilian wines, and Sicilian wines would not be the international sensations they are today if it wasn’t for him; sadly, Lucio died in 2022. The Tasca family has many stellar vineyards around the island of Sicily, yet this particular one holds a very special place in the family’s heart. Yes, it is the first single vineyard, inspired by a historically prominent French wine region, and so it represented a bold move to signal Sicily’s intention to become part of the great wines of the world. But more importantly, it is a precious reminder of the deeply personal mission of the family.
In those vines live the hopes and dreams of men who wanted something better for their beautiful island, and that mission is now passed down to Alberto, who continues to take on the biggest challenges of the times with the echoes of his beloved family cheering him on.
2023 Tenuta Regaleali “Cavallo delle Fate” Grillo, Sicily, Italy: 100% Grillo. Grillo is a Sicilian white grape variety that is a cross between two other Sicilian varieties: Zibibbo and Catarratto. It has the aromatic complexity of Zibibbo and the fresh acidity of Catarratto, so it has become an extremely popular wine. This 2023 Tenuta Regaleali has a fabulous nose with honeysuckle and lemon zest with crisp acidity on the palate and an intense saline minerality.
2022 Tenuta Regaleali “Nozze d’Oro” Sicily, Italy: A white blend of 59% Inzolia and 41% Sauvignon Blanc. The Inzolia vines were planted in 1972, and this Italian white grape is an excellent partner to the international white grape variety, Sauvignon Blanc. Intense stony minerality intermixed with lemon confit and sea spray with a long, expressive finish.
2012 Tenuta Regaleali “Nozze d’Oro” Sicily, Italy: A white blend of Inzolia and Sauvignon Blanc. Many like to focus on the top red wines of Sicily, but they have outstanding whites that can age, and this 2012 illustrates that point perfectly. Extremely intriguing nose with lanolin, fresh sage and a smoky minerality with lemon meringue flavors layered with dried orange peels with a powerful finish of rich, complex flavors.
2022 Tenuta Regaleali “Vigna San Francesco” Chardonnay, Sicily, Italy: 100% Chardonnay. Tenuta Regaleali was the first estate in Italy to plant Chardonnay in 1985 and this single vineyard is located above 2,100 feet above sea level. An enchanting nose with citrus blossom and marzipan, freshly baked apple pie flavors, and incredible length of flavor, with a creamy mid-palate and lots of bright acidity.
2009 Tenuta Regaleali “Vigna San Francesco” Chardonnay, Sicily, Italy: 100% Chardonnay. This 2009 Chardonnay has aged gracefully with a very complex bouquet of crème brûlée, peach cobbler and a hint of saltwater taffy with an incredible texture that gives it an overall elegant feeling and a very, very long finish laced with mineral aromas.
2022 Tenuta Regaleali “Lamùri” Nero d’Avola, Sicily, Italy: 100% Nero d’Avola. Many Nero d’Avola wines are big and bold, although this is an elegant expression with lots of finesse with a basket of freshly picked berries such as mulberry, blackberry and red cherry that has deliciously delicate hints of spice and cocoa powder with a laser intensity on the finish.
2018 Tenuta Regaleali “Rosso del Conte” Sicily, Italy: A red blend of 53% Nero d’Avola and 47% Perricone. Aromas are reminiscent of beautiful Sicilian fields of wildflowers and olive trees with blackberry compote, fresh black currants with sweet tobacco, and a marvelous finishing note of smoldering earth that goes on and on along the sculpted tannins. Impressive!
1999 Tenuta Regaleali “Rosso del Conte” Sicily Italy: A red blend of Nero d’Avola and Perricone. Multilayered, complex aromas of scorched earth, wild mushrooms and chestnuts with a pure, charming expression of fruit even at the advanced age of 26 years old and integrated tannins that give a velvety texture with a lingering note of toasted aniseeds delightfully wafting in one’s head.
2021 Tenuta Regaleali “Guarnaccio” Perricone, Sicily, Italy: 100% Perricone sourced from the San Lucio Vineyard, like the Rosso del Conte wine. The grape growers started calling the Perricone vines Guarnaccio in 1735, yet it is officially registered as Perricone today. So, this wine honors the long history of this native grape in Sicily. A wine that shows the grace of the old world with vibrant flavors of crushed ripe strawberries sprinkled with a touch of black pepper and a hint of violets in the background with a round, silky texture that delicately caresses the palate with fresh raspberry flavors.