Do you remember those old times when French gastronomy was leading the way and was celebrated as the best cuisine in the world? What a tremendous shock when the World’s Best Restaurants Awards, sponsored by S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna, announced a spanish restaurant – Ferran Adria at El Bulli – was named best restaurant in the world. The same could occur in the world of fine wines. Why should Bordeaux, Tuscany, Napa or Champagne (just to name a few) be the only names to make the final list of the best wines in the world? In the latest edition of UK magazine Decanter, Ian d’Agata wrote about Sicily and gave the 2 best scores to Gulfi, “the superstar wine estate“ as he names it, owned by Famiglia Catania.
The dramatic change Vito Catania has implemented at Gulfi since he took over the family estate from his father, shows a new image of the sicilian wines to the world. As Angelo Gaja did in Barbaresco, in the Piemonte region – remember the Gaja’s pioneering efforts to elicit the latent potential and character of the Nebbiolo grape by vinifying and promoting single-vineyard.- Vito Catania has created the 4 Pachino Crus with old vines of Nero d’Avola. From Gambero Rosso to Robert Parker, wine experts praise Famiglia Catania for the quality of the Gulfi range. At the time when experts talk about climate change and the necessity to add water or move to England to make balanced wines, Famiglia Catania (now with Matteo and Davide, Vito’s sons) is showing that the Nero d’Avola crus can age elegantly, gain an extraordinary complexity and compete with the best wines in the world. It may still be difficult for some to believe that Sicily will be selected for the best wine in the world. Maybe in 2016, 2020 or later. But if Spain and Denmark (with Noma) made it for the gastronomy, why can’t Sicily make it for the wine…
(Write to VitaBella info@vitabella.fr)
