Solacium Moscato di Siracusa Passito DOC 2022

Solacium is made by the Pupillo family on their Targia estate, at the gates of Syracuse, in south-eastern Sicily, the historic cradle of Moscato Bianco. The vines, planted in 1980 in the Mulino cru, grow on a medium-textured limestone soil and are oriented north–south. This terroir lies where the sea breezes of the Ionian Sea meet the mistral, an influence that shapes the singular personality of this naturally sweet wine. Its name evokes the emperor's refuge, the garden of delights.

The Moscato Bianco bunches are left to overripen on the vine to naturally concentrate sugars and aromas, then harvested by hand during the last ten days of August. After destemming, the grapes macerate for two weeks in steel tanks, extracting all the aromatic richness of the skins. The wine then undergoes an initial year of bottle ageing before release. This patient approach, true to the tradition of the sweet wines of Syracuse, gives rise to a wine of great intensity.

This wine reveals notes of apricot jam, honey, candied orange, candied apple, date, dried fig, white flowers, vanilla and cinnamon. Its golden-yellow colour heralds a spicy, broad, ethereal nose. The palate is intense and persistent, highly complex, with a delicate iodine touch that brings freshness and lengthens the finish.

Ah, Italy, what a beautiful, hedonistic country, the land of la dolce vita, but how difficult it is to understand its wine industry! The key to understanding the appellation system in Italy is to think of it as several small countries rather than a single homogeneous nation, as each region has its own appellation system. Italy can offer wine lovers a multitude of wines with varied and unique flavors and styles, bottles brimming with surprise and creativity. Unfortunately, it also produces a large quantity of soulless, characterless wines sold under their most commercially useful and prestigious name: Pinot Grigio, Chianti, Valpolicella, Lambrusco, Prosecco, and many others... But let's talk a little history. Viticulture in Italy dates back to antiquity and originated in Greece. The Etruscans are said to have introduced the vine, and Greek immigrants improved and modified the grape varieties, subsequently calling the country "Oenotria": the land of wine. At the height of the Roman Empire, wine held an important place in daily life, and certain regions already distinguished themselves by the excellence of their product. The Romans also established numerous vineyards in Europe, leaving an indelible mark of their conquest. Today, Italy is the world's largest wine producer, ahead of France. Italy is divided into three climatic zones. The northern mountains have a rather harsh mountain climate. The plains of the "central boot" are characterized by a continental climate with cold winters and hot, stormy summers. In the southern part of the Italian boot, the Mediterranean climate prevails, with very hot and dry summers, not forgetting the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. In short, Italy produces a wide variety of wines thanks to its 200 different grape varieties, many of which originated in its own lands. It is a country as complex as its wines, which deserve to be explored!