Northern Neck Uncorked

One of Europe's oldest viticultural regions still offers some pleasant surprises. Sicily's oenological history is an ancient one, dating from the time when the island was part of Magna Graecia. One usually associates fine wines with eastern Sicily and the areas near Mount Etna, but many new wineries have sprung up across the island. Sicilian oeniculture is not just varietals. Sicily's vintage wines are a magical creation, and many of the island's traditional wines and spirits are famous far beyond its shores. Several boast denomination of origin (appellation). Sicily has its own table and dessert wines, and a number of regional liqueurs.

Join us and learn about some of the following wines as John Krainock presents the wines of Sicily:

Carricante (Catanese Bianco), Cataratto Bianco, Corinto, Frappato, Gaglioppo, Grecanico (Greco), Grillo, Inzolia, Insolia or Anzolia, Malvasia, Marsala, Moscato, Nerello, Nero D'Avola (called 'Calabrese'), Perricone (Pignatello), Primitivo, and Zibibbo (Moscatellone).

A number of small wineries have emerged in recent years, but in many cases they have been producing wine for decades. In the 1990s, a number of grape producers whose product (grapes, must or wine)formerly supplied the Marsala industry, or was used to fortify weak French or northern Italian wines, began to make their own varietal wines for an increasingly sophisticated consumer market. These wineries now produce some of Sicily's best wines.

Northern Neck Uncorked is a chapter of the American Wine Society and membership in the AWS is required to attend our tastings. We always welcome and encourage guest visits. Come and join us for a few tastings and if you wish to continue, we will show you how to join AWS should you choose to do so.

We assemble at 7 PM and the presentation begins at 7:30 PM, at Belle Mount Vineyards.