Tasting Notes
The story
Grillo is a Sicilian grape variety well suited to the heat of the island. Previously used only in fortified Marsala wine, it is now being seen increasingly in still dry white wines like this one. The family-run winery, Funaro, describes itself as eco-friendly and has been producing wine for three generations and fully organically since 2011. Their ethos is laid out in a "Respect Notebook" and includes the following statements:
"We do not produce thousands of bottles nor do we use sophisticated manufacturing techniques; we simply care for our grapes by simply following the seasons and rhythms of nature. All our products are organic and have been certified by an authorized inspection body. All our wines contain less than 100mg of sulphur per liter, well below the amount permitted by EC regulations. We sell our products in light to medium-weight bottles in order to avoid unnecessary use of glass and we use pure cellulose organic paper with low levels of chlorine for our printed material. The wine cellar was designed in accordance with modern, eco-friendly architectural techniques, which enables us to drastically reduce Co2 emissions."
The wine
I classify this wine as Aromatic because of its Grillo-typical aromas & flavours - apple, lemon with nuttiness & a hint of orange - and because of its medium body which is largely a result of ageing the wine on its lees (not from any oak ageing). But it is also nice and crisp thanks to a very well-balanced level of acidity. For such quality and for an organic wine, this is really great value - and very drinkable!
Food Pairing
This makes for a lovely aperitif and is recommended for eating with fish, seafood, chicken, asparagus, pesto- or lemon-flavoured dishes. The body of the wine means that it can handle well fairly rich dishes but nothing too spicy.
Producer's Notes
"Elegant and fine, bright straw-yellow with light greenish hues. It has a full-bodied, enrapturing scent with elegant flowery and fruity aromas (canary melon, peach) which are typical of this grape variety. Soft and full-bodied, with a long finish."
