The Micciche family has been growing grapes in Sicily since the mid 18th century, but it was in 1955 that Dr Vincenzo Micciche saw the potential of the highlands close to the Kalatrasi bridge and bought 450 hectares of land in the Ginestra area. The company is now huge, owning over 1100 hectares of land in Sicily, Pulgia and Tunisia. The Terre di Ginestra range are in Organic conversion, and are sustainably farmed and handpicked.
Calatrasi Bellamente Vino Bianco £6.00
This non vintage wine has light minerally notes with a bit of honey and citrus coming through. A touch of pineapple as well. A strange, almost olive oil aroma though. The palate is ok, decent enough acid, some citrus pith and a little heat spike, but not unpleasant. Finish is a bit alcoholic, but it calms down and leaves you clean with lots of stone. An ok white wine. 6/10
2009 Calatrasi Terrale Grillo £7.00
Green peas, a touch of underripe banana skin as well and then a bit of lemon. It is a light palate, more peas, and just a little bit of lime coming through with a blast of lemon. Clean and fresh, a bit of fresh grass on the finish. Nice summer drinking 6/10
2009 Calatrasi Terre di Ginestra Catarratto £7.50
A bit of honey, some oak and a wee bit of overripe pineapple. A bit of a gutsy wine, some full on fruit attack and then it settles down to become a more balanced, oaked style of wine. Very little but the oak and alcohol. A bit of a disappointment. 4/10
2009 Calatrasi Terre di Ginestra Magnifico Viognier £10.50
Pepper and soap on the nose with some Smirnoff thrown in. The palate has a bit of peach stone, but then lots of harsh alcohol and pepper. It has high acid that initially cleans and then strips out your mouth. A pass. 4/10
2009 Calatrasi Terrale Nero d'Avola Sangiovese £7.00
Light, fresh strawberries and cassis mixed with some earthier liquorice aromas. The palate is simple, some savoury notes, a bit of firm tannin, but altogether a pretty nice, stone fruit flavour. Throw this with something like spicy pasta and you will have a good pairing. A little confection on the back end, but pretty tasty. 7/10
2009 Calatrasi Terre di Ginestra Q Franc £9.00
A blend of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Quite closed, only a touch of strawberry coming out of the aroma and a bit of polish. The palate is, well, generic red wine flavoured. It is pretty boring, but does have some structure and a bit of sweeter berries. It is just too expensive. 4/10
2008 Calatrasi Terre di Ginestra Magnifico Syrah £10.50
Meaty, some pepper, some gutsier fruit too. A bit of cherry menthol coming off the nose. The palate is more berries, some bitter plum skin flavours, mixed in with some full on tannin and a bitter, bark like finish. OK but too pricy. 5.5/10
2008 Calatrasi Terre di Ginestra Nero d'Avola £7.50
Big, perfumed aromas with some nice sweet and sour cherries going on. A bit of sweet fruit up front and then it becomes more meaty. The palate is nice, savoury mixed with some dried fruit flavours, a bit of spice and herb coming through. A decent wine and very well priced. 7.5/10
I'm not certain how to describe these wines! I think that the Terrale and Bellamente wines were offering decent priced, drinking wines, but I thought the Terre di Ginestra wines were, on the whole, too expensive for the wine you were getting and I'd question if you were paying for the increased costs of sustainable and organic farming. Still, with a plate of pasta or a warm summers day with some cheeses, olives and meat, I'd be happy with any of these wines!
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