Cerasuolo di Vittoria: 50 years of Sicily's only DOCG wine

Perhaps it is not by chance that Inspector Montalbano, the character born from the pen of Andrea Camilleri, is an incurable gourmet. His adventures both in the novels and on screen are set in the territory of Ragusa, in southeastern Sicily. The area is renowned for its eight historic Baroque cities in the Val di Noto, recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2002. It is also considered to be the ‘Sicilian Food Valley’, a treasure trove of starred restaurants and local specialities, such as extra virgin olive oil or Ragusano cheese.

Scroll down to see a selection of 10 Cerasuolo di Vittoria reds to try

Cerasuolo di Vittoria was born here, and it is the only DOCG wine on the island. Winemaker Arianna Occhipinti believes the region’s history holds great importance: ‘I feel a deep connection with this land. Its wealth dates back to ancient times.’ Occhipinti’s winery is located in the town of Vittoria, near the SP68 road, which follows the course of an ancient pathway that connected coastal towns. The discovery of 3,000-year-old amphorae and grape seeds may make it the oldest ‘wine route’ in the world.

Vittoria’s countryside is of poignant beauty with its white dry-stone walls and its traditional viti ad alberello (head-trained bush vines) sprouting from the ground like sceptres.

Vittoria was actually founded in 1607 by Countess Vittoria Colonna, who encouraged the first settlers to farm the fertile soils. By the 19th century, wagons filled with ‘Nero’ or ‘Vittoria’ wine were regularly arriving at the port of Scoglitti to be loaded onto the ships anchored offshore.

Cerasuolo di Vittoria: the facts

Area planted (2021) 147ha

Production (2021) 5,188hl

Producers 35

Area of production The municipalities of Acate, Chiaramonte Gulfi, Comiso, Ragusa, Santa Croce Camerina and Vittoria in the province of Ragusa; Butera, Gela, Mazzarino, Niscemi and Riesi in the province of Caltanissetta; Caltagirone, Licodia Eubea and Mazzarrone in Catania province

Blend Must be composed of 50%-70% Nero d’Avola and 30%-50% Frappato, aged for a minimum of nine months, or 18 months for Classico

Source: Consorzio di Tutela del Vino Cerasuolo di Vittoria

Red as a cherry

DES282.cerasuolo_di_vittoria.cortese_estate.jpg — The vineyards at Cortese estate

The name ‘Cerasuolo’ emerged in the 20th century, in reference to the wine’s colour, which recalls that of a cherry (ceràsa, in Sicilian dialect).

‘The DOC, recognised in 1973, marks the birth of the modern Cerasuolo di Vittoria,’ says Achille Alessi, president of the local Consorzio di Tutela Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG e Vittoria DOC, and owner of the Terre di Giurfo winery. ‘Today the district occupies [approximately] just 150ha of the 110,000ha of the whole Sicilian vineyard. It is a drop in the ocean!’

The one who chased that drop and found it is Stefano Girelli, a winemaker from Trentino in northeast Italy, who landed in Vittoria in 2001 and today manages two of the area’s wine estates: Santa Tresa and Cortese. ‘In the era of hot and powerful wines, I was attracted to this red wine of a different character: fine, elegant and fresh, with an explosive drinkability. As conventions and tastes have evolved, today Cerasuolo di Vittoria is a great contemporary wine.’

A perfect blend

Cerasuolo di Vittoria is a rare case among Italian wines: not the ‘solo’ of a single grape, nor a choral blend, but a perfect duet, with both Nero d’Avola and Frappato taking centre stage.

Nero d’Avola is the most cultivated red grape in Sicily, with plantings at about 14,750ha (Consorzio DOC Sicilia) – it’s a symbol of the region’s viticulture. From this vine come deep, dark and characterful wines.

Frappato, with its pale colour and its palette of floral and fruity aromas, is originally from Vittoria and mostly grows in the southeast corner of the island. Nero d’Avola contributes 50%-70% of the Cerasuolo blend, while Frappato makes up the other 30%-50% – the regulators seem to have established whose is the first voice of the duet.

Frappato is becoming a favoured variety among winemakers in Sicily, however. ‘The approval of Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG in 2005 abolished the other varieties previously allowed, recognising Frappato as the typical variety of our territory,’ says Alessi. ‘But the wine is the result of the right balance between the two grapes.’

According to Occhipinti, the experience gained through blending has improved local winemakers’ understanding of the individual varieties: ‘Making mono-varietal wines is relatively simple,’ she says. ‘Working with multiple grape varieties requires a great agronomic and technical awareness. It’s a bit like producing two wines in one.’

In the Vittoria district, the grapes grow in an exceptional environment. The sea is very close, there is a lot of sunshine, and the Hyblaean mountains inland offer protection from humid winds. This dry climate guarantees optimal ripening of the bunches as well as a complex aromatic profile. ‘The possibility of growing excellent organic grapes is why we chose this area for our family wineries,’ says Girelli.

In fact, the concentration of organic estates in Vittoria is the highest in all Sicily. ‘Nature favours us wine-growers; we must reward it with practices respecting its equilibrium,’ reflects Occhipinti, who wrote the book-manifesto Natural Woman (Fandango Libri, 2013). Even the region’s grape yield is low: a maximum production of up to 52hl/ha is one of the lowest thresholds in Italy.

The Classico triangle

Juicy, fragrant and very drinkable, Cerasuolo di Vittoria is not afraid of the passage of time. Its production regulations distinguish between Cerasuolo di Vittoria – obtained in a large area between the provinces of Ragusa, Caltanissetta and Catania – and Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico – reserved only for vineyards in the historical triangle formed by Vittoria, Acate and Chiaramonte Gulfi. The main difference between the two concerns the minimum maturation times: nine months for the former, giving a crunchy red wine, like a basket of cherries; and 18 months for the Classico, a spicy and velvety wine. Ageing is usually in wood, but steel or amphorae are also used by some winemakers.

Looking at the territory leads us to talk about zoning, a much-debated topic now across Italy. ‘Mapping could prove useful for fans of this style,’ says Girelli. His vineyards on the red earth in Santa Tresa, and on the limestone in Cortese, give different results in the glass.

Occhipinti produces a line of ‘Frappato di contrada’, trying to understand whether the idea can be extended to a Cerasuolo. Alessi appears more cautious: ‘There are already three Cerasuolo di Vittoria wines: one coastal, one mid-hill and one near-mountain. We should enhance the characteristics of each of them even more.’

Half a century after the establishment of the DOC, Cerasuolo di Vittoria is ready to explore its roads of tomorrow

A slice of Sicily: Gaia’s 10 Cerasuolo di Vittoria reds to try

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Tiziano Gaia is a writer, director and film producer from Turin, Italy. From 2000 to 2008 he organised the publications and events of the international Slow Food movement. In particular he curated the Italian Slow Food-Gambero Rosso Wine Guide and the Extra Virgin Olive Oil Guide. He collaborated with Giancarlo Gariglio and Joe Bastianich to create Grandi Vini: An Opinionated Tour of Italy’s 89 Finest Wines. In 2013 he directed a wine documentary called ‘Barolo Boys’, focusing on regions most influential producers.

Cerasuolo di Vittoria: 50 years of Sicily’s only DOCG wine