2023 Planeta Cerasuolo di Vittoria, Sicily

The pour is fuchsia, and the nose is fittingly enlivening, with aromas of raspberry, pomegranate, top soil and pencil shavings. Sweet berries and cherries headline the palate, while more graphite and pepper provide balance. A wine that is lively and energetic, but with a cool stoniness. Fun and serious at the same time.

92 points Wine Enthusiast

Planeta has played a major role in Sicily’s modern wine story, growing from the family’s agricultural roots into an estate with vineyards spread across the island. Rather than treating Sicily as one uniform region, the family established vineyards in distinct territories suited to particular native grapes. For Cerasuolo di Vittoria, that means heading to the south east, where Nero d’Avola and Frappato form one of Sicily’s most distinctive partnerships.

Cerasuolo di Vittoria is Sicily’s only DOCG, and its character comes from the contrast between its two varieties. Nero d’Avola supplies darker fruit and structure, while Frappato contributes perfume, red berries and an almost weightless freshness. The sandy soils and warm Mediterranean conditions around Vittoria suit both beautifully. The 2023 is more about fragrance and juicy drinkability than muscle, making it a particularly versatile Sicilian red.

Bright ruby red, with Morello cherry, wild strawberry and raspberry followed by violet and dried rose. Blood orange, fennel and oregano add a savoury edge, with a little pepper and liquorice underneath. The palate is supple and medium bodied, its juicy red fruit lifted by fresh acidity and fine, lightly grippy tannins. Cherry and raspberry return on the finish with orange peel, herbs and a faint earthy note.

Grilled tuna with capers, tomato and olives hits the spot here. Pasta alla Norma, charred octopus, eggplant involtini or mushroom and smoked mozzarella pizza would also disappear happily alongside. Our pick is the tuna, left pink in the middle with plenty of good olive oil and lemon.

Cellaring: Drink now to 2033.