Pellegrino Cardilla Frappato 2023

Cardilla, the land of vineyards.

In western Sicily, around Marsala in the province of Trapani, there are many vineyards. The landscape there is rolling and rural; you will see a lot of agriculture, interspersed with unspoilt nature. Summers are hot and sunny, winters mild, skies blue, and there is peaceful silence. You can see peasant life dedicated to working the land.

In that landscape lies Cardilla, just a few kilometres from the sea, an area full of grapevines, olive and citrus trees. Here, it seems as if time has stood still.This is where the wines are made, which the Pellegrino family named specially after this piece of land as an ode to this country life. A series of wines with local and indigenous grape varieties, with old-fashioned implements on the label such as an old wine press, a plough but also a donkey that people used to use in the vineyards as a pack animal.

The frappato is one of the oldest and most important red grape varieties in Sicily. Its name means fruity in the local dialect and that is exactly what it is. It is a resistant variety that has good yields. The dark blue bunches are compact and not very large. These grapes give an elegant and fruity wine with a bright red colour in the glass. You get a slight spiciness that lingers well. Pleasant aromas of cherries, strawberries and tobacco also emerge. The frappato is best when served slightly chilled.

The vines are on gravel and clay soils, just a few metres above sea level.

Harvesting begins the first 10 days of September. Upon entering the cellar, the grapes are partially soaked at low temperature followed by vinification at controlled temperature. The wine then matures for a further 4 months on the lie in stainless steel vats.

Carlo Pellegrino

Sicily is Italy's 2nd wine-growing region. The Carlo Pellegrino family has been making marsala (fortified wine) and still wines here since 1880. To do so, 3 wineries have been built over the years: the historic cellar in the middle of the city of Marsala for making the marsala; the modern winery just outside the city where the still wines are made, equipped with state-of-the-art technology; and then the winery on the island of Pantelleria, where the zibibbo grape (muscatel) is vinified for the sweet white wines. Sicily's wines have a character all their own. The influence of the sea on the climate is obviously strong. It calls for grapes that, despite the heat, can produce wines with good acidity. In the wine regions around the city of Marsala, the main Sicilian grapes have been growing for hundreds of years: nero d'avola, grillo, inzolia, catarratto and zibibbo. The zibibbo (the Arabic word for muscat) is mainly used for sweet wines. The white grillo, inzolia and caterratto were originally used for marsala but are now also vinified as still wines with very good results. For red wines, it is mainly nero d'avola and nerello mascalese. Both red and white grapes blend well with international grape varieties such as syrah and chardonnay and are often added to increase consumer recognition. The people are particularly hospitable, and you will also be welcomed with open arms at Pellegrino's in Marsala. People love to talk about the island's peculiarities and delicious cuisine. They are not proud to be Sicilian for nothing.