This month, we have decided to take you on a journey to discover a grape variety that is deeply rooted in our territory.
A variety that has seen a glorious past, a period of crisis in which it risked disappearing, and now a new rebirth.
We will tell you some interesting facts about this grape and what to expect when you drink it.
Perricone (or Pignatello): a story of decline and rebirth
There was a time, in the 19th century, when Perricone was undoubtedly the undisputed king of Western Sicily’s grape varieties.
At that time, it was mainly known locally by another name: Pignatello. This synonym derives from the red clay soils of Marsala and other areas of Trapani’s province where the grape variety expresses itself best.
Clay that local artisans of the time used to make pignate (Sicilian for pots). Today, you will find either Perricone or Pignatello written on the label.
In the past, it was a key grape in prestigious blends, giving structure and color to Sicilian wines, but that’s not all.
With the arrival of phylloxera (an insect from America that destroyed European viticulture), Perricone was increasingly sidelined. It reached a point where it risked extinction in favor of more resistant, more productive, and more famous grape varieties. In a word: easier ones.
The grape variety is sensitive to disease (one in particular, called powdery mildew), is naturally low in yield, and generally has a marked tannicity that must be properly managed in the cellar.
For over a decade now, thanks in part to a Sicilian wine renaissance that has seen a return to more indigenous varieties (of which there are many here), the trend has been reversed.
Whereas before it could only be found in blends with other grape varieties, today more and more producers in western Sicily (but not only there) are producing it as a single variety.
Baglio Diar’s Perricone “Velata”: what to expect
In our interpretation of Perricone, we have decided to focus on its authenticity, without any cuts or adjustments.
We grow it in our vineyards in Trapani, where the soil is mainly clayey, just as it likes it. In the cellar, we age it for a short time in steel and for six months in French oak barriques; after a further six months of rest in the bottle, we decide it is ready to be put on the market.
On tasting, you will find a wine with an intense color and an organoleptic profile that could be described as “wild.” The nose has a complex bouquet of aromas: you may recognize notes of blackberry and licorice, along with other more “toasted” hints, such as black tea, cocoa powder, or toasted hazelnuts.
On the palate, it is full, enveloping, and very lively. It leaves a taste of roasted coffee, black cherry, or cinnamon in a long and pleasant aftertaste.
Are you curious to try it? Discover it in our shop