Sicily and her native grape, Nerello Mascalese, have done more to capture the imagination of curious winemaker than any other wine region in the world.

Imagine it—ancient vineyards with 100+ year old vines, swimming in soils as black as pitch, all under the shadow and persistent smoke from Etna’s steaming caldera. Etna winemaking is not for the faint of heart, which goes to say that the Scilio clan may be the toughest artisans on the island, if not in all of southern Italy.

Orpheus is their magnum opus, the best of the best—they craft this pure Nerello Mascalese wine only in the finest of vintages. Their 2008 was a landmark wine; their 2009 may be even better.  This special selection of older vines from the family’s highest vineyards – and 100% organic to boot -- shows the beauty and concentration of Nerello in its finest form, with intense and varied aromas, lots of juice and a silky finish that seems to last as long as the summer in Sicily.

It is the complexity of this wine, however, that is so absolutely captivating and as such puts it in the league of Italy’s most revered bottles from Piedmont or Tuscany. Orpheus is made in very small quantities (less than 8,000 bottles for the world) and with uncompromising fidelity to both Etna terroir and the true soul of the island’s native grape.

And considering all this, it should command the price of top-flight Bordeaux—but it doesn’t (yet).  

Sunday, January 29, 2012