Friday, September 20, 2013

Palari Wines with Salvatore Geraci

Some of Sicily's most stylish wines come from this small producer located in the hills around Messina. The winemaking philosophy under Salvatore Geraci is simple: make two wines with the same indigenous grapes but with different selections. His top wine is the Faro. Faro (which means lighthouse) is a little DOC, almost the smallest in Italy. With just above 6 hectares (15 acres) in the DOC area, the production is clearly tiny. The Rosso del Soprano is the little brother of Faro and meant to be drunk younger. But he also produces in very small quantity a special bottle called Santa.Ne, which he only makes in exceptional vintages. It is made with pre-Phylloxera grapes that are over 100 years old, and to this day not yet identified. Superb wine but in very limited supply.

The principle grapes used are Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio with smaller quantities of Nocera, Cappuccio Tignolino, Acitana, Galatena and Calabrese. These wines have an ethereal quality to them. Ruby red in color with garnet reflections. Ample and intense notes of jasmine, cardamom, balsamic and ripe red fruits on the nose. Velvety, dry and inviting, you feel the softness of the tannins, and the long and persistent fruits. Silky smooth.

Drago Centro once again hosted this fantastic tasting event in their private Vault Room.The service and dinner were top notch. Many thanks to Salvatore for the wonderful wines, Vinity Wine Co's Dino Capriotti for bringing the wines to the U.S., and, of course, all of the attendees.

albacore tuna tartare, pinenuts, olives, tomato, basil
2010 Palari Rosso del Soprano
egg yolk raviolo, ricotta, brown butter, shaved summer truffles
2004 Palari Faro, 2005 Palari Faro
sausage stuffed quail, shaved fennel, garlic aioli
2006 Palari Faro, 2007 Palari Faro, 2008 Palari Faro
new york steak, parmesan potatoes, pancetta, spinach
2004 Palari Sante.Ne'

Selection of cheeses
2002 Palari Sante.Ne'
Our group!    

Drago Centro, 525 S. Flower Street, Suite 120, Downtown Los Angeles, 90071  

Event organized by Rosso Wine Shop


No comments:

Post a Comment