Dark ruby color; plum, black cherry, red fruits, vanilla, spice, earth on the nose; plum, red fruits, blackberry, raisins, licorice, vanilla, oak on the palate.
Dry, but has gentle sweetness sensation both from grape ripeness and touch of residual sugar; soft, dusty tannins; relaxed acidity; plush, velvety. Medium-plus body. Exuberantly fruity, concentrated. Hard-harvested grapes were then dried for three weeks to approach being raisins—thus “appassimento” on the label (appassimento means “drying” in Italian). Aged four months in 132-gallon tonneaux, imparting oak, but it is not obnoxious element. 14% ABV
Appassimento is iconic to Valpolicella. Here, the Sicilians demonstrate they can do it well, too. There is touch of balsamic to add interest from late in the mid-palate and finish. Opens up and gains complexity with exposure to air in the glass; consider decanting. Drying the grapes increases the concentration of flavors and sugars and changes the structure of the tannins, bringing an extra layer of complexity to the wine.
Cantine Ermes Società Cooperativa Agricola began in 1998 in the Belìce Valley of Sicily. The website notes “nine courageous winegrowers” decided to join forces after the area was severely affected by an earthquake in 1968. Today, the cooperative has 2,373 members and 31,250 acres in three Italian regions—Sicily, Puglia, and Veneto—with one-third of the vineyards organic. They produce 11.5 million bottles a year and sell in 29 countries.
Rosario de Maria is the Cantine Ermes president. Paolo di Maria is the general manager. Giuseppe Clementi is the technical manager. With so many grower-members of the cooperative, the key figures in an operation such as this are those who manage the operation.
The website notes: “Thanks to the wind, a constant companion for most of the year, which blows from the sea to the highest hills of the countryside to mitigate and refresh the grapes in the hot Sicilian summers, we can find in our wines unique characteristics, distinctly Mediterranean and important structure, balanced by excellent freshness and balanced flavour.”
The closeness to the sea delivers minerality and slight salinity. The website notes: “In Sicily, in the sunny hills of the Belìce Valley, where the pedoclimatic characteristics and the morphology of the land, together with the typically Mediterranean climate, create the ideal conditions for organic farming, with significant day-night temperature ranges and good plant ventilation thanks to the sea breezes, we grow the vineyards from which we produce our organic varieties.”
Cantine Ermes Quattro Quarti Nero D’Avola Appassimento, Sicilia DOC 2019 is complex, round, pleasant, comforting, especially velvety in the mouth with subdued tannins in the initial attack. But there is a second taste stream going on here with mix of red and black fruits, raisins, balsamic, and oak spices that counterplay to the initial attack in the mid-palate and finish. Nicely layered and enjoyable to drink—and at significantly lower price than amarone. Pair with grilled red meats; lamb, lamb stew; spaghetti and meatballs with tomato sauce. Cheese—fontina, gruyere, livarot, muenster, cheddar; sheep’s milk cheeses. $16-18
