Mary Taylor "Clara Sala" Sicilia Bianco 2021

FROM MARY TAYLOR

THE WINE: This is 100% Grillo grown on a single hectare in the Gorghi Tondi and Preola Lake Nature Reserve in Western Sicily, slightly south of Marsala in the commune of Mazara del Vallo. 100% organic. We love the rich saline / citrus Mediterranean brightness of this wine – infinitely drinkable. Pair with all kinds of light healthy Mediterranean foods, especially seafood!

Vintage Notes:

Two sisters, Clara and Annamaria Sala, own this organic farm in Mazara del Vallo (a city well known for its fishing, and famous for its shrimp). A bird sanctuary surrounds the winery of 115 hectares. This property was a split-off from the old Cantine Pellegrino and is now all women-owned (all too rare in Italy).

Our collaboration together for this 100% Grillo started with an introduction to the winery by mutual friends. We loved the density and bright acidity of this Grillo. These grapes are grown in a 1-hectare parcel called “Contrada San Nicola” which lies on a slight slope of sandy limestone beside the sea. This vineyard is exposed to Mediterranean Sea breezes and to the salty air spreading all over the area – one of the main reasons that this Grillo showcases a distinctive minerality, perfectly combined with citrus notes.

Everything from the vines to the winemaking is certified organic and done by hand – including the harvest. The grapes here are normally picked the second to third week of August, immediately brought to the winery (literally a few yards away) and gently pressed. The grapes’ skins macerate with the juice for 4 hours. The Grillo is fermented in stainless steel tanks, where it ages on the lees for 2-3 months more before bottling. It then matures in bottle for a further 3 months before release.