Over The Volcano 

“Two mountain chains traverse the republic roughly from north to south, forming between them a number of valleys and plateaux."  Thus begins Under The Volcano, Malcolm Lowry’s unforgettable account of sozzled oblivion.  He’s talking about Mexico, but the imagery could just as easily conjure Sicily: the largest island in the Mediterranean, traversed by several mountain ranges, culminating in Mount Etna, the world’s most active strato, or composite, volcano. And while you can’t observe Etna’s IRL song of fire and ice from everywhere in Sicily - the Nebrodi mountains effectively shield it from most of the west - my guess is it looms and squats across the minds of most who exist below it. 

Etna has certainly taken center stage on our previous two trips to Sicily in the club because well,  making wine on the side of an active volcano is inherently pretty awesome and dramatic. But this go-round we’re gonna move past the magma to sample other genera of great juice the island has to offer.   

And there’s a lot: 135,000 hectares of vineyards – more than in all of Bordeaux -- a winemaking history some 2500 years old, and an alphabet (from Acitana to Zibibbo) of native varietals thriving in near ideal viticultural conditions, make Sicily one of the most diverse and exciting wine destinations on the planet. While there are arguably more celebrated (and certainly more expensive) wine regions in Italy, none can match Sicily’s particular alchemy of terroirs, grapes, and intrepid vignerons steeped in local tradition and relatively unencumbered by the fine print of  Italy’s wine classification system. 

For instance, if we take the island’s eastern coast, and traverse it almost straight north to south, we will encounter both of our selections this month, at opposite corners. The red hails from the bluffs of Messina, from which Straits that separate Sicily from mainland Italy, take their name. On clear days, you can see Calabria (only two miles away at the closest point.) Here we find Azienda Agricola Palari, the passion project of architect Salvatore Geraci. After inheriting his grandfather’s 18th century villa and a handful of vineyards in the area, he enlisted some help and began producing superlative reds from the indigenous grapes still growing there. Some, like Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio, are also grown in the Etna DOC; others - Core ’e Palumba, Acitana, Galatena and Jacché - don’t grow anywhere else at all. But they all benefit from this rare microclimate that exists 600 m above sea level but only 1.5 km from the actual sea. The resultant bottlings recall their Enta brethren but foreground a specific depth and rustic savoriness all their own. 

About 110 miles south, and slightly inland lies Ragusa, the location of Sicily’s only DOCG status wine region, Cerasuolo di Vittoria. Only reds are produced under that designation, but the area also yields many fine and affordable white wines. The village of Chiaramonte Gulfi sits on a hilltop 668 metres above sea level in Ragusa, and is referred to as The Balcony of Sicily due to its panoramic perch between Iparri Valley and the Mediterranean Sea to the south, Mount Etna northward and the Erean Mountains in the west. It is a great place from which to make a pronouncement presumably,  and and few years ago, the famous Sicilian centenarian olive olive company Francoci Cutrera, announced they would be making wine (with help from some friends) in this very area, and calling it Akrille, for the Greek settlement from 600 B.C. that once stood there. Their Grillo, like everything on the label, comes from 15 hectares of vineyards at altitudes of 500-600 metres, and soil composed of clay, limestone and stones with a south-east and south-west exposure. It is an immediately appealing vista of blue sky acidity, orange blossom and a surprisingly lingering finish.

Salud,

Alan Hicks- Wine Buyer

PlumpJack Wine & Spirits Noe Valley

Sea Bass with Sicilian Cherry Tomato Sauce

Here’s a simple recipe you can make with any fish, but especially rich and oily including mackerel and bluefish. 

        Ingredients: 

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 anchovy fillets, drained and minced

• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

• 1/2 cup pitted and coarsely chopped oil-cured black olives

• 2 tablespoons drained and chopped capers

• 1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

• 1 pound cherry tomatoes, halved

• Sea salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Extra-virgin olive oil, for oiling pan and brushing fillets

• 4 wild sea bass fillets (6 ounces each)

• Finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for serving

    Instructions: 

• 1. To make the sauce: Heat the oil and anchovies in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until the anchovies are sizzling and broken down into a paste, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until it begins to brown around the edges, about 1 minute. Stir in the olives, capers, and red pepper flakes and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in the cherry tomatoes and season to taste with the salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to break down, about 10 minutes. Set the sauce aside.

• 2. Oil a large ridged grilling pan and heat it over medium-high heat. Brush the sea bass on both sides with oil and season with the salt and pepper. Place on the grill, skin side down, and grill until the underside is seared with grill marks, about 3 minutes. Flip the fresh fish over and cook until the other side is seared and the flesh is opaque when pierced in the center with the tip of a small sharp knife, about 3 minutes more. Transfer each fillet to a dinner plate and top with a spoonful of the sauce. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.