Fresh off the delicious organic Catarratto, I opened this relatively cheap ($16) of Insolia and was immediately on edge when I saw the color.
WINE KNOW: Insolia (or Inzolia) is a “very old native” white grape of Sicily. Ian d’Agata in Native Wine Grapes of Italy, says that the correct name of the variety is Ansonica, “which derives from the French sorie (dark, gold) because Ansonica grapes turn golden when very ripe.” It’s a low-acid grape, so not well suited to the warm/hot climates of Sicily, but that’s where it is grown the most. Ian d’Agata also mentioned that Ansonica is “the rare example of a naturally tannic white wine.”
MY NOTES: I don’t know if it was on purpose (I’d guess that it is), but the label color matches the color of the wine: a sort of orange-gold. So this is either a skin contact wine, or it was allowed to oxidize a bit, or it’s just off. Just before tasting it, I read this in The World of Sicilian Wine by Nesto and di Savino, “Inzolia wine has a tendency to oxidize, which makes it useful as a base for Marsala.”
What bizarre flavors! A reluctant nose of apple, pear and a bit of lemon. On the palate, bruised apple, cider, bitter almond, a bitter herb, and black tea. Medium acidity, medium body, medium alcohol. The winemaker’s notes say it is “light straw” colored, but not my bottle! There is also a sort of fino sherry aspect to this wine.
PRICE: $16 on Wine.com
CRITICS: JS 91, WE 90
James Suckling – “This has aromas of waxed lemons, jasmine, thyme and stones. It’s medium-bodied with vibrant acidity. So fresh, with wild-thyme and fennel notes at the end.”
Definitely not fresh tasting to me. Makes me think mine was just oxidized.
Wine Enthusiast – “Blooming carnations, Meyer lemons and sun tea come together to construct a very umami nose. The palate stays with the savory, offering notes of lemonade-iced tea and pine nuts with a sea salt finish.”
I’m with them on the pine nuts and sea salt. And actually now tasting it again, the lemon iced tea reference is really spot on. Like a Lemon Snapple, with the flavors and tannins from tea leaves.