For the longest time, the wines from the Sicilian isles didn’t get the respect that many of the top producers in the region felt that they should.
On one hand, this isn’t surprising.
Sicily develop a reputation for developing cheaper table wines during a period where many of regions started focusing even more intently on quality. While this didn’t mean that no wineries in Sicily created quality wines, it did create a distorted view of the region. Some looked at Sicily as a source of cheap wines and little else.
But on the other hand…it’s a reputation that’s wholly unwarranted, especially in today’s climate.
Even when some dragged Sicily’s wines through the mud, there was always a group of producers who focused on producing quality. And now, the entire region seems to have taken up arms against its past reputation in an effort to repair the damage.
Planeta is one of those producers.
For centuries, the family behind the company have engrossed themselves in the study and creation of fine Italian wines.
And in the wine that we’ll take a look at today, they’re produced a beautiful vintage.
But before getting into that, let’s take a closer look at the history behind this Sicilian stalwart.
The Story
It seems that for as long as there has been a wine industry in Sicily, the Planeta winery has been around.
The story starts over 500 years ago, back when the family was filled with farmers and similar agricultural experts. Back then, the focus wasn’t predominantly on wine. Instead, the family farmed the land for any number of reasons. One could even say that they’ve had a larger impact on the Sicilian agricultural landscape than any family that came before or since.
But it was during this time that two of the hallmarks of the Planeta winery were formed.
One of these is the desire to create openness in everything that they do. Planeta has always aimed for complete transparency as they see this as the best way to build trust with their clients and those within the industry.
The second of these hallmarks is innovation.
Where other companies are content to hold the fort and keep their methods the same for decade, Planeta always aims to discover new and better ways to do things. It is this desire to innovate that has led them down the road of sustainable wine creation. And it is this same desire that places Planeta at the forefront of the burgeoning wine tourism industry, as its resort and restaurants attract people from miles around.
Yes, innovation has always been important to the family. And with each passing generation that desire to create something new and remarkable only grows stronger.
It was perhaps during the 20th century that the company cemented its reputation for innovation. In a period where many Sicilian wine producers started to focus on quantity, occasionally sacrificing quality in the process, Planeta and it’s owner at the time, the affectionately named Grandfather Vito always pushed forward.
It was Vito who moves away from the static land management techniques that so many others followed. It was also Vito who put the wheels in motion for Planeta’s transformation. Under his guidance, the company grew from a small, family-owned business into part of a much larger cooperative of winemaking companies.
It is that cooperative model that has served Planeta well into more modern times. Under the leadership of Vito’s son, Diego, Planeta turned into the model for all future wine cooperatives.
But Diego was not one to rest on his laurels. Even as he helped to build the winery, he still focused on innovation. In fact, he developed a laboratory where he hosted some of the great minds in Italian wine, such as Attilio Scienza and Giacomo Tachis, to come up with new ideas.
Through it all, the company has continued its tremendous growth. Now, the company is a feature around the grand old fortress of Ulmo. And the resort and various other tourist destinations that it has created have helped Planeta grow even stronger over the years.
On top of that, the company also produces several oils, which only further aids its impressive growth.
Now overseen by a collective of brothers, sisters, children, and other relatives, Planeta has its eyes firmly pointed towards the innovations it can introduce in the 21st century.
And if they continue producing wines of the same quality as the Planeta Cerasuolo di Vittoria Dorilli 2017, we can only support this continued desire to build the new wave of Sicilian wines.
The Wine Review
The first thing to note about the Planeta Cerasuolo di Vittoria Dorilli 2017 is that it is part of the only DOCG to come from Sicily.
This alone tells you just how much of a commitment Planeta makes to the quality of its wines. They’ve established their products as some of the best to come out of Sicily, with the Planeta Cerasuolo di Vittoria Dorilli 2017 being right at the forefront.
Upon opening this gorgeous Italian red wine, you will see a bright ruby colouring that is both eye-catching and subtle. Its alluring nature draws you deeper into the wine while hinting at an impressive ageing potential. In fact, it’s possible to age the wine for up to 15 years to unleash some of its more interesting qualities.
But if you are to drink it today, you will experience a gorgeous floral bouquet that offers fresh notes of aromatic herbs and red roses. Nestled within that are more subtle notes of raspberry and grapefruit, which lends the wine a refreshing quality.
More notes make themselves known when you take your first sip. In particular, a spicy note of black pepper makes prominent, even though it’s easy to miss in the bouquet. This adds an interesting twist to the more floral notes and creates a level of complexity that we’re sure you’ll enjoy.
Our team certainly enjoyed the wine, which is why they give it a rating of 93/100.
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