Grapes : Muscat Alexandria (raisins)
Price range: 5 to 10 euro
fermentation and maturation: steel
I've always had a huge passion for the red, living in a land of great red, hot, powerful, generous, from of great native vines such as Nero d'Avola, Pignatello or Nerello Mascalese. Recently, however, is why I became a vegetarian and perhaps also because of the summer heat, I'm finding to appreciate our fabulous white, whether or soft acids from grapes native or alien. And once again, always for a white wine, we move from Castelvetrano (the thriving town where I live, in the province of Trapani) to Mazara del Vallo (a of the most important fishing ports in Italy and, to date, the most common vines in the province of Trapani, with more than 13,000 hectares of vineyards). Upon arrival, we put in the SP 50 in the direction of the City Borgata Coast. After a few minutes it shows "Strada del Vino Val di Mazara". The road is certainly very scenic and picturesque, one of those roads to be done on a motorcycle, full of rural farms and vineyards, although they are often abandoned and left all'incuria. All the while, we admire a green and continual succession of vineyards, some in full harvest. We arrive at a stretch in which the landscape seems to change suddenly, and now the fields green alternate with fields of vineyards "dark" areas of wasteland and "yellow" to "Restuccia", ie stubble that remains after a field planted with arable land has been subjected to harvest. The context is very warm and sunny and, in some ways reminiscent of that of the "estate" of the agrarian reform of the '50s. The wine cellar to which we are moving and farm Ajello, in Contrada Jew, in full Territory of Mazara del Vallo, about 12 km away from the beautiful port city. The estate, which was already in the 1860, has a total extension of 124 hectares (of which slightly less than 70 vineyards) and is located in a privileged hilly (about 200 meters above sea level), with clay and limestone soils (which provide both structure and elegance to the wines) and good ventilation (confirmed by the presence of some wind turbines in the area and other monitoring stations pre-implantation). No need to be agronomists to "grab" the great vocation of the site for the vineyard. Inside the beam characteristic
century, once plastic expression of a strong agricultural self-sufficiency, today, after a masterful work of recovery has been restored in the corporate office, keeping the colors and the 'air' time. The owner, Salvatore Ajello, welcomed us with grace and kindness, a true "country gentleman" and showing the interior of the historic building of the family, then makes us sit in what has been converted into a tasting room. An open window, it shows, in a breathtaking sight, part of the estate, the house overlooks entirely from its central position. The Muscat of Alexandria, commonly called "raisins" in the land of Sicily (from Zabib, or "raisin"), has always been interested in the effects of passive or interpretations still sweet, but in the last decade are not Few firms, varying on the theme, have made interesting examples of "dry" wine obtained from it. To be sure, the raisins, in the tradition Pantelleria was also vinified dry. To this end, sweet grape with a strong aromatic basic poses, however, its exquisite wine, very delicate problems. What is the sugar residue is compatible with a given degree of alcohol and its acidity. The farm produces Ajello in 2007 a "dry" of raisins, which the Palermo edition of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2010 was awarded for the 2009 vintage, no less than the gold medal. Harvested fully ripe (but not beyond), the raisins ferments until it reaches a certain alcohol content, leaving a minimum residual sugar to give it that more than one interesting bit of "sweet" gives it the soothing softness that sets him apart, even with his solid backbone of freshness that makes it very pleasant and match throughout the meal, especially in preparations which are defined by flavor and aroma. If the fermentation go on until full swing, the raisins completely dry is characterized by a peculiar aftertaste decidedly unpleasant. The eye lens is much of a bright straw yellow with golden reflections. The nose is unmistakably that of the aromatic grape with great intensity, with a delightful scent of orange blossoms, mixed with a pleasant menthol notes. The nose tells us also, clearly, the considerable load alcohol (14.5 degrees). The mouth is, without doubt, warm, intense and enveloping, with a sweet softness, confirmed by that nice touch of "sweet", but backed nervously, and almost overwhelming, from an axis acidity / unparalleled flavor, great balance. Good taste-olfactory persistence, which ends with a finish of citrus and balsamic notes. After about 15 minutes, interesting descriptors of candied citrus fruits, make their appearance in the glass emptied. Let the tasting table, which at the end of the session, it seems a real battlefield. Almost a modern version of still life. Dr. Salvatore Ajello, polite and friendly as ever, there is way to the cellar, a few hundred meters from the old family farmhouse is completely surrounded by vineyards. As he likes to say, the winery is "without frills and without strings" to signify that was designed exclusively to cater for the sensitive and priority technology needs dell'affascinante "smelling liquid", rather than focus just functional but beautiful and picturesque views. I must also admit that it is the first time that I happen to visit a winery during harvest. It shows, in fact, the panels of thermal control of fermenters in operation. The typical smell of "winey" permeates every corner of the cellar. Cedo, with enthusiasm, the temptation to sink the nose in marc still moist, fresh and aromatic residue of the last day of draining.
The hot and challenging afternoon draws to a close. Along the journey home, contemplating, with a different light, what we admired on the way forward, and continuing to enjoy (mentally) wines tasted in the company, we feel at peace with the world. The French writer Stendhal (born Marie-Henri Beyle, 1783-1842) said that those who had tried five or six times in a lifetime feeling of perfect happiness, should be considered fulfilled, satisfied. If this is so, especially after this "light" afternoon, in the case of thinking about it. It makes me think to those hundreds of millions of people worldwide who are convinced to be happy, whatever they are visiting a festive and noisy shopping center, maybe with a red tin in his hand. I combined the dry Zibibbo Ajello (held at a temperature of about 10 degrees) to spaghetti with tuna egg (roe), one of the oldest and most typical preparations that can be found in the land of Sicily, from the period in which the 'island was full of "traps", large and beautiful plants used for catching and processing tuna. And the mullet (ie the ovarian pouch of tuna, salted and dried) is, along with mosciame (the flesh of tuna soaked in brine and then dried) and the lattume (the semen pink tuna), one of the classic tuna products, is still very popular and famous. From a purely sensory point of view, this first course is characterized by flavor (roe, pecorino), aromatics (garlic, parsley, pecorino), greasy (oil), duration of taste and smell. The softness, body, and the lingering aroma of intense Zibibbo Ajello, are pairing function, a move quite successful. They are the "little" things in life, they are doing "great" life. Crown Caramel
Farm Salvatore Ajello - See Contrada Jew, Mazara del Vallo (TP). Phone and fax 0923 941218 (Sealed) - 091 309 107 (offices of Palermo). azajello@tin.it - \u200b\u200bwww.ajello.it. Winemaker: Stefano Chioccioli. Extension estate: 124 acres: Vineyards: 70 acres of property. Bottles: 320,000. Grapes: Grillo, Insolia, catarratto, raisins, chardonnay, Nero d'Avola, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, syrah. First harvest company: 1999.
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