Noto (wine)
White and red wines as well as sparkling wines are produced under the name Noto DOC in the Free Community Consortium Syracuse in Sicily . Since 1974 the wines have had a "controlled designation of origin " ( Denominazione di origine controllata - DOC), which was last updated on March 7, 2014. Noto is located about 30 kilometers southwest of Syracuse on the southeastern cap of the Hybaean Mountains , a few kilometers from the coast of the Ionian Sea . Like the DOC / DOP Syracuse , the DOC / DOP Noto is primarily known for wines made from the Yellow Muscat grape. The denomination was founded in 1974 exclusively for Muscat wines, namely a dry-developed unmixed nutmeg, a Liquoroso this grape and a sweet Spumante furnished. In 2008 the regulations were changed and the list of DOC / DOP wines was expanded.
As a wine-growing region mainly focused on sweet wines, Noto also had to struggle with severe economic difficulties and a considerable loss of vineyards, but unlike the neighboring denomination of Syracuse, it was not on the verge of complete disappearance. Above all, the export of large quantities of red wines to Northern Italy and France, where they were used as side wines in a wide variety of cuvées , enabled many companies to survive economically, but above all to maintain their own small, own production of quality wines. Although the Muscat wines from Noto also have a great history, they have always been somewhat overshadowed by those from Syracuse. They were considered wines with a lower aging potential that were best consumed relatively young. Today these differences in quality - if they existed at all - have largely leveled out.
In addition to its muscat wines, the denomination is best known for red wines from the Nero d'Avola , which derives its name from the town of Avola, which is located in this wine-growing region. Since the region has again invested heavily in cellar technology and new vineyards have been planted with high-quality vines, these dry red wines have noticeably improved in quality and are being sold in large quantities on the international market.
The denomination Eloro (wine) is partly within the DOC / DOP Noto . It extends westward over Ispica and reaches the Ionian Sea a little south of Noto. In this wine region are vinified as DOC wines rosé and red wines, consisting become rare in some vines as the Frappato of here or Pignatello mentioned Perricone made.
Cultivation
The cultivation is limited to the following municipalities: Noto , Rosolini , Pachino and Avola , all in the Free Municipal Consortium of Syracuse.
The denomination extends south and southwest of Syracuse along the Ionian Sea to the southeast tip of the island south of the Cape of Passero . In this area, the denomination areas Noto and Eloro overlap. The DOC Noto extends a few kilometers into the hilly hinterland to the foothills of the Monti Iblei , furthest in the southern part in the area around Rosolini. Viticulture is practiced both in the coastal lowlands and in the hill country up to about 300 meters above sea level. The terraced slopes that were also cultivated in the past have been largely abandoned.
The vineyards are mainly on very light, nutrient-poor and permeable limestone soils , occasionally also on terra rossa and somewhat heavier loam and clay soils . Volcanic soils are rather rare in this area.
The climate is Mediterranean with very hot, dry summers and mild, humid winters. From May to the beginning of September there is hardly any precipitation; the resulting water stress can be prevented by drip irrigation. Temperatures are often above 30 ° C and occasionally exceed 35 ° C. On the coast, these high temperatures are somewhat mitigated by a slightly cooling sea breeze . Rain falls frequently from October to March; the rainiest month is October. Mild frosty nights with no damage potential occur occasionally.
generation
The DOC regulations do not stipulate any specific vine training. Originally only a form of bush education called alberello impupato was practiced, today new vineyards are mostly laid out in low trellises . The harvest of the nutmeg grapes begins in mid-August and ends in the first week of September, while the Nero d'Avola grapes are picked from the second week of September.
The wines of the DOC Noto are very similar to those of the DOC Siracusa in terms of their vinification and their characteristics . Especially the nutmeg wines, which are still the top products of the area, are considered a bit lighter and fresher, but their varietal nutmeg aroma is said to be much more intense than those from Syracuse. Overall, however, the differences are very small, as the soils and climates are very similar and in some cases the same farms are represented in the denomination. The list of DOC wines differs slightly: In contrast to the DOC Siracusa, the Moscato Liquoroso di Noto is also a liqueur wine with mostly 15 percent alcohol by volume , with a remainder of at least 6.0% potential alcohol content and around 100 grams / Liters of residual sugar offered. As DOC wines, the simple nutmeg is only available in a dry version, the sparkling wine only in a sweet version. The characteristics of the Moscato Passito di Noto correspond to the Muscat Passito from Syracuse. There is no simple Bianco as DOC wine in Noto. In addition to the nutmeg wines, high-quality red wines also play an increasingly important role today, in terms of quantity they exceed the wines from the Moscato Bianco many times over. In total, almost 90% of the vineyards are planted with red wine varieties, of which around 84% with Nero d'Avola.
The following white wines are produced from the Moscato Bianco grape variety :
- Moscato di Noto
- Moscato di Noto spumante (sparkling wine)
- Moscato di Noto liquoroso ( sweet wine )
- Moscato Passito di Noto or Passito di Noto
The blend wine Noto rosso must be made from at least 65% Nero d'Avola . A maximum of 35% other analogous grape varieties that are approved for cultivation in the Sicily region may be added. Wines are produced under the name "Noto Nero d'Avola" that must consist of at least 85% of the grape variety mentioned and have recently improved significantly in quality. As inexpensive quality wines, they reach international trade in large quantities. A maximum of 15% other analogous grape varieties that are permitted in the Sicily region may be added.
description
according to denomination (excerpt):
Moscato di Noto
- Color: from more or less intense golden yellow to amber
- Smell: characteristic, delicate of Moscato
- Taste: aromatic, delicate like Moscato
- Alcohol content: at least 11.5 % by volume
- Acidity : at least 4.5 g / l
- Dry extract: at least 20.0 g / l
Noto rosso
- Color: more or less intense ruby red
- Smell: open, intense
- Taste: tangy, tannin with a pleasantly dry aftertaste, fresh
- Alcohol content: at least 12.5 % by volume
- Acidity : at least 5.0 g / l
- Dry extract: at least 22.0 g / l
literature
- Valeria Camaschella (Ed.): Lexicon of Italian Wines - All DOCG & DOC wines . Hallwag, Gräfe and Unzer, Munich 2002, ISBN 3-7742-0756-9 , p. 292 .
- Bill Nesto, Frances di Savino: World of Sicilian Wine . University of California Press, 2013, ISBN 978-0-520-26618-6
- Joseph Bastianich, David Lynch: Vino Italiano: The Regional Wines of Italy. Clarcson Potter, 2012 (Reprint) ISBN 978-1-4000-9774-6 (print version)
- Jancis Robinson , Julia Harding: The Oxford Companion to Wine. 4th edition. 2015, ISBN 978-0-19-870538-3
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e Disciplinare di Produzione della Denominazione di Origine Controllata (production regulations and description). (PDF) In: ismeamercati.it. November 27, 2017, accessed July 7, 2018 (Italian).
- ↑ Val di Noto on etnacaputmundi.com, accessed on April 18, 2017
- ↑ Avola climate data
- ↑ Rosolini climate data
- ↑ Zona di produzione e storia , on agraria.org, accessed on 18 April 2017