Back with our latest Italian indigenous variety, this week’s grape is Grecanico from Sicily. The grape is often blended with Grillo and/or Catarratto. It is part of a host of D.O.C. wines from Contea di Sclafani, Contesa Entellina, Menfi and others.

I love one from Tasca d’Almerita I tasted some years ago. The one I tasted was a wine made without the addition of sulfites, an experiment that Tasca had undertaken at the time. Tasca is very conscious of its carbon footprint and is heavily involved in sustainability initiatives in Sicily. Grecanico has aromas and flavors of lemon and citrus. The grape is considered to be the same as Garganega from the Veneto. The grapes are still listed as two separate grapes in the national registry. This piece was originally posted in 2015. I started writing about Italian native grapes in 2009, let’s just say it’s a long term project.

A wine without the addition of sulfites still has some sulfites in it because they are produced during fermentation. This wine spent four months on its lees which is a natural level of protection for the wine. As we know, sulfur is added to wines as an anti-oxidant and to stabilize the wines.