2016 Le Casematte Peloro Rosso Terre Siciliane IGT

A Mediterranean Twist for Lovers of Pinot Noir

The 2016 Le Casematte Peloro Rosso embodies exactly what makes the reds blended from Sicily’s indigenous grape varieties so exciting, and so remarkably affordable.

The 93-point Casematte Peloro Rosso is based on Nerello Mascalese, a variety similar to Pinot Noir but better suited to warm, Mediterranean climes than Pinot. From the flanks of Mount Etna to the promontories of the Faro appellation, where this one is from, Nerello Mascalese has the ability to channel the land it’s grown on with shimmering clarity.

Today, we’re excited to be the first to market with this Wine Access exclusive, a lively and confident bottling bursting with cherries, pomegranates, blueberries, flowers, and spice. This is a medium- to full-bodied red wine that’s built to be purchased by the case and then savored with everything from casual lunches of charcuterie and cheese to more formal dinners of well-sauced pasta and grilled meats, or nothing at all. Don’t let the price fool you, this is a serious wine you’ll want stocked in the cellar, regardless of the season.

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate put it best when they called this a wine of “authentic character that you would never find…outside of the fabulous Mediterranean island and cultural crossroads that is Sicily.” We agree with Parker, though emphasize that finding a wine with this kind of mouth-watering expressiveness at $20 is a rare victory.

Because Sicilian wine is still less familiar internationally than its more famous mainland cousins—Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, Barolo, and Barbaresco and the rest—it represents not just some of the best value in all of Europe, but also some of the most deliciously idiosyncratic.

With its incredible energy and honesty, this 2016 Sicilian red embodies everything that makes the wines of this ancient island so hot right now. It may have taken a couple of millennia, but the secret is out: Sicilian wines are among the best in Europe.

• Fruit Intensity
• Oak Intensity
• Body
• Acidity
• Tannin

• ABV 13.00%
• 15 mins
• Now – 2029
• 70% Nerello Mascalese30% Nocera
• Serving temperature – 58°
• Cork