Many grapes are made into raisins, used in local cooking, and Sicilian grapes also play a large role in creating dessert wines, which require a higher concentration of grapes and are consumed in smaller quantities. In fact, in the world of international wine, Sicily is renowned for the many outstanding dessert wines, such as the world-famous Marsala, Moscato di Pantelleria & Malvasia delle Lipari.
The traditional varieties cultivated on the island include: red grape varieties such as Nero d'Avola (today experiencing a significant renaissance in the market), Nerello Cappuccio and Mascalese, Carricante, Nocera, Perricone and Frappato; white grape varieties such as Catarratto, Grecanico, Grillo, Inzolia, Malvasia delle Lipari and Zibibbo or Moscato. In addition to the traditional varieties listed above, today there are numerous non-traditional varieties grown on the island which include: red varieties such as Cabernet-Sauvignon, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Petit Verdot, Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc and Merlot; white varieties such as Chardonnay, Viognier, Muller Thurgau and Sauvignon blanc.
Bordeaux-style wine
Lacroix is a Superior Bordeaux produced by the merger of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. It is an elegant, velvety and fruity wine with a ruby red color.
Traditional red wine from the Langhe
Barbera d'Alba Sbilauta from the Rizieri winery is a pure Barbera produced in the heart of the Langhe by selecting the best Barbera bunches. From this recently re-evaluated traditional Piedmontese vine, Rizieri has created a fresh and lively Barbera, elegant and soft, excellent to drink.
A pure, powerful merlot, Grammonte is full bodied with a persistent aftertaste. Dark, dense, ruby-red, with a refined flavour. With scents of ripe red fruit, morello cherries, black cherries and prunes, as well as floral notes, blended with some mineral nuances, graphite, tobacco and vanilla.
Merlot grapes from distinguished dry land sites have made a wine with a strong deep purple colour and lifted plum and spice aromas. The palate starts deep, with dark elegant and spicy flavours. Barrel fermentation has given dimension and texture to the dark cherry fruit and leads to a concentrated and persistent finish.
This vine, with a very rich aromatic heritage, is cultivated on the gentle hills of Mount Erice. The wine which originates, with a velvet and soft taste, is characterized for its wide perfumes, recalling red berries, blended together in an equilibrate and harmonic way, with notes of leather and vanilla. Red refined in barriques;
Salici 100% Merlot, the grapes benefit from the difference in temperatures between day and night that is characteristic of the Pianetto area. After the vinification the wine is matured for 12 mounths in Allier oak barrels. Ruby colour with garnet hue, on the nose one detects blackberries, blackcurrants, vanilla and toasted bread.
The extreme selection of the Merlot grapes of our vineyard, the low yield cultivation, the picking of the grapes in small boxes, the fermentation and the vinification made in the manner to consider the whole scents of the fruit; the maturation in oak barrels for 12 months and a further maturation in stainless steel tanks and bottle, make of Nia Maro a wine of great level.
Our Merlot has enjoyed international attention since its first vintage. It has a small production from the hilly vineyards of Ulmo and Maroccoli. This exceptional presentation of this noble grape, rich, round and powerful, is found in the winelists of the most prestigious restaurants and winebars round the world.
The Merlot by Principe di Corleone is made from 100% Merlot grapes which prosper to own vineyards of Corleone. He matures for 6 months in the bottle. His colour is intensely ruby-red, his bouquet reminds of ripe forest fruits and fine marks of flowers. In the mouth it is dry, warm and round, with a strong personality. A great red wine from Sicily.
This French vine species is originally from Gironde. It had a leading role to play in creating some of the most celebrated Bordeaux wines. It appeared in Italy in 1800, spreading through the entire peninsula, and married extremely well with many native varieties. Merlot Patria’s properties heighten the senses in the way only a good wine can and make it stand out from other classic red wines.
Les Asteries was the first of Saint-Emilion's micro-cuvée wines and is produced from eighty-year-old vines that survived the devastating frost of 1956.
Chateau Teyssier is one of the best selling Grand Crus Saint Emilion. Produced from Merlot and Cabernet Franc grapes and aged in French oak, it is a rich, velvety and spicy wine.
Cusumano Winery is spearheaded by two brothers whose value of artistic excellence and passion for meticulous detail, have driven them to create a bright explosion of modern, and innovative wines! The grapes in this wine are grown in clay-based soil throughout the rolling hills of Presti e Pegni. The spicy yet subtle flavors of this Merlot are appreciated most when paired with heavy pastas.
Merlot is an international red grape varietal, but when grown in Sicily it produces a full-bodied wine with considerable aromatic intensity such as Merlot by Feudo Arancio.
Angheli - Donnafugata Winery
Angheli by Donnafugata is born in the hills of Contessa Entellina: the Sicilian red wine, modern with an international taste. Blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon is an enveloping and captivating red with a versatile character, the result of a land of great sunshine.
Merlot Mandrarossa - The international classic
The Merlot of the Mandrarossa winery was born after years of careful experimentation to identify the clones that could best express the characteristics of this variety, especially taking into account the particular Mediterranean microclimate. The result obtained is a Sicilian red wine with soft tannins and a savory and warm taste. Excellent versatile wine in food pairings.