Vigneti Zabù, `Il Passo` Nerello Mascalese

Vigneti Zabù, in southern Sicily, is part of the Fantini group, founded by Valentino Sciotti in 1994 to produce top-quality wine from southern Italy. In 2005, Valentino and his and Sicilian winemaker Giuseppe Alfano Burruano planted their own vineyards on the hills around Lake Arancio, in Sambuca di Sicilia. Here, the untouched landscape boasts many ancient vineyards and proximity to the lake creates a perfect microclimate for grape growing. Their vines are planted at 400 metres above sea level on clay soils with good water retention capacity, which helps sustain the vines through Sicily’s hot summers. Today, these vines continue to flourish, lending themselves to attractive, drinkable wines.

The Grillo is fermented at low temperatures in stainless steel, resulting in a wine with fresh aromatics and a lovely balance. The Nero d’Avola is also fermented in stainless steel, creating an expression defined by aromas of red cherry and supple tannins. The best organic grapes are selected to produce the ‘Il Passo Verde’ Organic Nero d’Avola. 50% of the wine is aged in barriques, while the other 50% is aged in concrete tanks for about six months. The ‘Il Passo’ Nerello Mascalese is the star of the show here and really exceeds expectations. It is freshly scented with a full and supple palate.