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Home Winners > Winners 2016 > ITALY: South Whites, including Sicily & Sardinia

Winner Details

Italy: South - White, including Sicily & Sardinia

2016 Gold: 4 Silver: 6 Bronze: 4 Commended: 7
2015 Gold: 2 Silver: 6 Bronze: 2 Commended: 6

As always, we got a wide spread of grape varieties and styles here, from Chardonnay and Sauvignon to Southern classics such as Fiano, odd blends and rarer grapes like the Gold-Listed Rampone, made from Minutolo. As always, a lot of entries fell by the wayside early on – the south has energy rather than consistency – but what was left was a fascinating shapshot of the variety and, at times, value for money on offer from this part of the world.

FROM THE TASTING TEAMS

‘These have to be good value for money – £30-£50 on a list. Instead of a rubbishy Sancerre, you can offer something different at that price point.’ Daniel Murray, Berners Tavern

‘I always think of Italian whites as being boring but the best ones are really characterful and original.’ Sarah Jane Evans MW, team leader

‘They were foodie wines. They would be good with food because they are rich and complex – with white dense fish – and they had good acidity.’ Julien Sahut, Sexy Fish

‘Overall, despite being from the south, there is a lot of fresh fruit, crispy acidity, no fatness, there is a light hand.’ Luciana Girotto-Beckett, consultant

FOOTNOTE: Includes wines from Campania, Puglia, Basilicata & Calabria.

Award winners

Found 11 wines

Italy: South – White, including Sicily & Sardinia

Minini, Legato, Grillo 2015, Sicily, Italy

Excellent value, a refreshing palate and beautiful balance gave Minini Gold, with James Hocking of The Vineyard Group in full support, noting: 'Creamy, white peach aromas, balancing acidity. Could cope well with scallops.' 'Cool ferment aromas with bright lemon curd, creamy freshness on the palate,' said team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW.

£5.81 Bibendum

Alta Mora, Etna Bianco 2014, Sicily, Italy

An evocative Gold Lister inspiring, among others, team leader Annette Scarfe MW: 'Beautiful vibrant lemon colour. Delicate use of French oak; there's flavours of ripe lemons and quince with a refreshing acidity. Great with seafood.' 'Rich and creamy on the nose, with cooked fruit notes,' began Julien Sahut of Sexy Fish, going on: 'Rich texture on the palate too, with medium-weight body and alcohol, notes of honeysuckle, stone fruit and white pepper minerality.'

£10.72 Eurowines

Rapitalà, Grand Cru, Chardonnay 2014, Sicily, Italy

'Fantastic mineral balance of oak and fruit,' said James Hocking of The Vineyard Group of this poised Gold Lister, adding: 'Lovely citrus and apple notes, a touch of vanilla and wood spice. Great wine.' 'Honeysuckle and peach nose, creamy and waxy textures on the palate, though it remains vibrant and fresh. Very nice,' said Daniel Murray of Berners Tavern. 'Lovely spicy oak, good texture and yellow plum fruit. Yum!' added team leader Sam Caporn MW.

£16.95 Matthew Clark

Planeta, Etna Bianco 2014, Sicily, Italy

'Zesty and attractive, with well-integrated oak, and floral and green apple notes,' said team leader Annette Scarfe MW, while Plateau Restaurant's Lucas Nikanorovas noted 'fresh, light, crisp, with good balance and flinty, mineral notes'.

£11.36 Enotria&Coe

Cusumano, Jalé, Tenuta Ficuzza 2013, Sicily, Italy

'Lovely blend and very complex,' began team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW, continuing: 'Floral jasmine and pink grapefruit curd aromas, plus fine palate texture and a salty mineral finish.' 'Very classy from the off,' concluded Bar 44's Owen Morgan.

£14.45 Eurowines

Borgo Selene, Bianco, Catarratto/Inzolia 2015, Sicily, Italy

With its 'fragrant perfumed nose, citrus fruit and mineral notes', Damon Little of Restaurant Nathan Outlaw felt this was a 'great value house wine'. 'Fresh stone fruit and peach juice,' began Daniel Murray of Berners Tavern, with M Restaurants' Zuzanna Rogowska continuing: 'Exotic style, with honeycomb and waxy characters.'

£5.55 Liberty Wines

Parpinello, Sessantaquattro, Vermentino di Sardegna 2014, Sardinia, Italy

'Rich and spicy with white pepper notes on a long, integrated palate,' said Julien Sahut of Sexy Fish, with team leader Sarah Jane Evans MW finding it a 'sunny, ripe wine, with lemons, custard, herbal notes and a silky texture with slightly bitter touches giving intriguing complexity'.

£11.70 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Settesoli, Mandrarossa, Urra di Mare, Sauvignon Blanc 2014, Sicily, Italy

'Quite neutral, with some citrus fruits and violet floral notes,and good acidity. Pretty,' said team leader Sam Caporn MW. 'Lovely nose of peach and ripe red fruit, fresh and clean,' added Daniel Murray of Berners Tavern.

£9.06 Enotria&Coe