The Visit Of Giusto from COS
COS was originally an enterprise of three 20-something school chums from Sicily. They inherited a small clump of vines in Vittoria and set out to make wines typical of the region. Bit by bit two of the original partners (the other left to run a restaurant) have acquired further acreage of vines and olive trees.
The region of Cerasuolo di Vittoria has a remarkable microclimate. Whereas grapes in Marsala are being harvested in mid August, the harvest at COS finishes in November and yet a quick inspection of a map of Sicily will reveal that Vittoria is south of the northern tip of Africa. The vineyards are relatively close to the sea and bear a distinct maritime imprint with the wine displaying beautiful aromatic freshness and almost cool fruit flavours.
Giusto waxes lyrical on the benefits, real and moral, of biodynamic viticulture. Biodynamics for him is inextricably tied to a sense of place; the wines must always have personality and naturally reveal where they come from. They should be derived from the auchothonous grape varieties: in this case Frappato and Nero d’Avola for the reds and Grecanico and Inzolia for the white. Giusto is adamant that interventions in the winery should be kept to a minimum. The COS wines are neither filtered nor fined; wild yeasts are used in the fermentation and there is no addition of sulphur at the bottling. The winery is gradually abandoning oak and stainless as fermentation and ageing vessels in favour of the traditional amphora, the idea is that the clay jars allow the wines to breathe naturally.
Pithos, a typical Cerasuolo blend of 60% Nero d’Avola and 40% Frappato, is fermented in large clay amphorae. It is a beautiful wine with a delightful nose of sweet violets and a whisper of spiced cherries. The wine is very smooth, almost silky and the bright berry flavours cascade over the tongue to their lip-smacking conclusion. The nose has a haunting perfume combining red fruits of great purity with fine minerally, spicy, earthy notes that frame the fruit quite precisely. Think of the aromatic profile of a great red Burgundy, warmed up a notch or two by the sun. It’s the sort of nose you can keep returning to, and each time you attend you get something different. The palate is medium bodied and savoury, with an elegant earthiness. The classic Cerasuolo is lighter in colour with a touch more acidity and bite; here is a mixture of stony fruit and vibrant minerality. Nero di Lupo is 100% Nero d’Avola, but, like its brothers and sisters, is light and assured on its feet. Perhaps the fruit here veers towards the damsons and plums, perhaps there is a greater sensation of warmth on the palate, but the balance is very fine and the finish remarkably fresh. Harvested from 35-40 year old densely-planted vines on tufa-rich soil, Syri is a single vineyard wine kept in oak barrels from twenty four months and in the bottle for at least another six. It displays the wonderful balance between a full-bodied, spicy wine that is also fruity at the same time. This is also a highly nuanced wine suggestive of pomegranate, clove and even pink peppercorns; it is bolted together by fine minerality which makes the wine live in the mouth for a long time.
The red wines are traditionally paired with lamb dishes, but it is not fanciful to imagine the Cerasuolo lightly chilled with a swordfish steak cooked with tomatoes and olives.
The real surprise, however, is the white wine called Rami Bianco, made from an equal blend of Inzolia and Grecanico. Giusto remarks that this wine is best with a few years under its belt when the impact of the Inzolia comes to the fore. Initially it seems fairly restrained, with notes of almond and straw whilst on the palate it is brisk and decisive with a vital attack, with a concentrated fruit quality that has a real tell-tale Italian bitter almond, or even Campari-like edge, to cool pear and lemon fruit. Where are the clams? Send in the clams.