A Journey Through Italy's Regions, Grapes and Volcanic Soils

Saturday, August 22 | 1-4PM

Join us for an afternoon exploring six standout bottlings from across Italy — from the alpine sparkling wines of Trentino to the volcanic reds of Etna and the sun-baked hills of Basilicata. Tim Adams, MacArthur Beverage's resident Italian wine expert, will guide the tasting and share his perspective on each selection, its region, and what makes it worth a spot in your cellar.

NV Ferrari Brut Trento DOC

Region:  Trentino, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy
Grape:  100% Chardonnay
Style:  Metodo Classico sparkling
Our opening pour is Italy's benchmark traditional-method sparkler. Aged roughly two years on the lees, it shows a fine, persistent mousse with aromas of ripe golden apple, white flowers, and a delicate yeasty note reminiscent of fresh bread. On the palate it's clean, balanced, and dry, with a lingering finish of ripe orchard fruit and a hint of bread crust. Critics have consistently scored it in the low-to-mid 90s, and it remains one of the great values in Champagne-method sparkling wine — a fitting welcome for the afternoon.

2021 Planeta Carricante Eruzione 1614 Sicilia IGT

Region:  Etna, Sicilia, Italy
Grape:  Carricante (with a small addition of Riesling)
Vineyard:  Contrada Sciaranuova, Mount Etna's north slope
Named for Etna's legendary decade-long 1614 eruption, this cru bottling comes from black, mineral-rich volcanic soils above 800 meters. The nose is intense and complex, layering tropical fruit and bergamot over a distinctly mineral core, while the palate combines softness with real grip — lemon peel, green apple, and a saline minerality that carries through a long finish. It's a serious, age-worthy expression of Carricante and a highlight of Sicily's high-altitude white wine renaissance.

2022 Cantine Madaudo Barone di Bernaj Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG

Region:  Vittoria, Sicilia, Italy — Sicily's only DOCG
Grape:  Nero d'Avola and Frappato
Producer:  Cantine Madaudo, a fourth-generation family estate
A terrific everyday entry into Sicily's most historic red-wine appellation. Cherry-red in color with a fruity, inviting bouquet, this blend pairs the dark-fruited structure of Nero d'Avola with the perfumed lift of Frappato. Expect notes of dark plum, juicy red berries, and blood orange, rounded out by cocoa, tobacco leaf, and a touch of earthy spice from a brief rest in French barrique. Fresh, medium-bodied, and food-friendly — remarkable value for a DOCG bottling.

2022 Cos Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG

Region:  Vittoria, Sicilia, Italy — Classico
Grape:  60% Nero d'Avola, 40% Frappato
Producer:  Azienda Agricola COS, founded 1980; certified organic
From one of Sicily's most influential estates, farmed organically and fermented spontaneously in cement to preserve a silky, mid-weight texture. This bottling shows why COS is considered the benchmark for the appellation: aromas of wild strawberry, raspberry, and crushed stone lead into a palate of black raspberry, licorice, and grilled herbs, with juicy acidity and a crisp, lightly tannic finish that carries a pleasant bitter edge. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and Vinous have both rated recent vintages in the low 90s — a side-by-side with the Madaudo bottling makes for an instructive comparison of styles within the same DOCG.

2021 Graci Etna Rosso Feudo di Mezzo DOC

Region:  Etna, Sicilia, Italy
Grape:  Nerello Mascalese (with a touch of Nerello Cappuccio)
Vineyard:  Feudo di Mezzo contrada, Etna's north slope
Our step up into serious Etna red territory. Sourced from one of the volcano's most celebrated contradas, this wine offers ripe, luxurious red fruit — sour cherry and red plum — layered with licorice, graphite, and dusty rose. The core is juicy and concentrated, framed by firm, chalky tannins that give it real structural backbone. Often compared to red Burgundy for its combination of perfume and mineral tension, this is a wine built to reward a few years in the cellar, though it drinks beautifully with air tonight.

2022 Masseria Cardillo Matera Moro DOC Malandrina

Region:  Matera, Basilicata, Italy
Grape:  Primitivo, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot
Aging:  Minimum 12 months in small French oak barrels
We close with a bold, warming red from Basilicata's Matera DOC, a lesser-known appellation pairing native Primitivo with international varieties. Deep ruby with light garnet reflections, it offers an intense, persistent bouquet of jammy dark fruit and spice from a light drying of the grapes before fermentation. The palate is full-bodied and warm, gently tannic and velvety, with plum, dark cherry, and notes of chocolate and tobacco on the finish. A rich, satisfying way to end the tasting.

Salute!