Baglio di Grisi Ventu Terre Siciliane Rosso 2020

The grapes are Nero d’Avola, Cabernet and Syrah. The region is Sicily, bathed in the Mediterranean sun. Together, under the organic loving care of the Di Lorenzo family, they create an explosive red that simply demands a place in your wine-drinking repertoire:

 

The nose opens with dark black fruits of fig, ripe blue fruits, blackberry preserves and chocolate.  But it doesn’t lose its Italian-ness – notes of leather, grilled lamb chops, dark cherry tobacco and black truffles all come to the fore on the palate. While most Nero d’Avolas are rustic and hard with tannins, this one has a velvety, rich and supple palate, long on fruit flavors, finishing with a soft and delicious minerality.  Place this wine in a flight of top-shelf Napa Cabernets, and I guarantee it won’t come out the loser – and it will certainly be the first bottle finished. 

 

Sicily is not known for making wine like this – in this vast area the locals say the wines “are greedy for the sun.”  The regional wines – while being made for millennia – are rough and ready, tannic and rustic, almost like they were still expected to endure a sea journey by Greek merchant ship to reach their clientele.  Most are still made by cooperatives, for local consumption (and lots of it). 

 

Here, though, the Di Lorenzo family wanted to do something very different. Although they have been in business since 1899, they wanted to use this land of sunshine and its rich volcanic soils to produce a beautifully fresh red wine, but also one that is completely organic from cultivation, to fermentation, to final bottling, and certified as such. 

 

The di Lorenzos have owned Baglio di Grisi, “The Golden Courtyard” for over a century. During that time, they have seen wine trends come and go, but their estate has remained the same, crafting wines to perfection. We got this one - “Ventu”, which refers to the Sirocco winds that waft through the vineyards, for an absolute steal. Don’t miss it. 

 

AND, as a little bit of historic trivia for Milwaukee’s Italian-American community— you probably know this place very well. The majority of Milwaukee’s first major immigration from Italy came from the village of Porticello and the surrounding area just outside of Palermo. The Baglio di Grisi is up on the hillside just beyond Palermo. From the di Grisi courtyard, you can spot nearly all of the villages of this region, which are now well known in Milwaukee as the last names of prominent Italian-Americans. 

One of these villages is even more famous -  Savoca. Savoca’s Church of Saint Nicholas is featured in The Godfather Part 1. The di Lorenzo family of Baglio di Grisi have participated in the caretaking of that church for over a century. Salute!