Feudo Montoni della Timpa Grillo Sicilia DOC
Expect the heady notes of citrus grove, orange blossom and newly cut grass caught on a cooling Mediterranean breeze. The notes of fruit, herbs and sweet spice are immediately gratifying. But the wine is underpinned by a sharp line of cleansing acidity buttressed but some fine minerality giving it a sense of significance without being too serious.
'there are few estates anywhere in Italy making more compelling wines today'
Ian d'Agata, Vinous.
Timpa, in the Cammarata area, is the name of the cru (certified organic) from which the grapes are sourced and comes from the Sicilian word for ‘strong slope’ – so we’re off to a good start. In fact, the slopes are such that at their most severe they exceed 70 degrees.
Altitude: Sitting at 700 meters above sea level, the 30-year-old vines (grafted by hand onto older roots) face east on sandy soils. Given the unsuitability of the vineyard to cater for large vehicles, the fruit is handpicked and placed in small cases. In the winery, the juice is fermented in cement containers, seeing skin contact for approximately a quarter of the fermentation process. The wine is then aged on lees in cement and sees some batonnage for six months. The result is texture yet fresh wine.
I am reminded of the wind-swept waves of grass you see when you look over the beautiful expanse of this property in inland Sicily. The 2018 Sicilia Grillo Timpa is a balanced and fresh white wine that delivers equal parts citrus, fruit and sharp mineral intensity. Then, you get that attractive smell of freshly cut wild grasses.
90 points, Monica Larner, Wine Advocate, December 2018.
