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Italy's islands are part of the charm of this peninsular country. You can enjoy stunning views and swanky shopping on the island of Capri, or dive into history with a tour of a home in which Napoleon lived during his nine-month exile on the isle of Elba. But when it comes to wine, Italy's two island powerhouses are Sardinia and Sicily. Sardinia is best-known for its production of French grapes with Italian aliases, while on Sicily the primary focus these days is on indigenous varieties. Together, they yield an exciting range of wines that showcase Italian island living.
ARIANNA OCCHIPINTI Terre Siciliane White SP68 2017
WS Review: A highly aromatic, dry, medium- to full-bodied white, with ample bergamot, saffron, quince blossom and marjoram notes leading to poached peach and cherry pit flavors, accented by firm, lip-smacking acidity. Long and expressive on the finish. Zibibbo and Albana. Drink now through 2025. 1,100 cases imported.
Why It's of Note: At COS winery, Giusto Occhipinti partnered with two friends to put Sicily's southeastern Vittoria area on the map in the 1980s; 20 years later, his niece Arianna brought youthful vitality and vigor to the area, introducing it to a new generation of wine drinkers. Arianna makes an SP68 white and red, both named for the road that runs alongside the winery. She is better-known for her reds from the local Frappato and Nero d'Avola grapes, but her SP68 white is an intense, lip-smacking blend of Moscato di Alessandria and Albanello.
CANTINA SOCIALE DI SANTADI Cannonau di Sardegna Noras 2015
WS Review: This round, medium-bodied red is well-knit and balanced, with supple layers of pureed black cherry, plum tart and spiced orange flavor framed by creamy tannins. Elegant. Drink now through 2024. 300 cases imported.
Why It's of Note: Santadi is one of Sardinia's most historic and respected wine names. It began in the 1960s as a cooperative of grapegrowers making bulk wine, but the focus changed in the 1970s, and by the 1980s the winery had transitioned to quality-oriented wines. The Noras is a great introduction to Sardinia's Cannonau, a.k.a. Grenache, the southern French grape. Here, the granitic soils and Mediterranean climate yield an accessible, open-knit version, rounded out nicely by six months in second-passage French oak and six months in bottle before release.
COLOSI Salina 2016
WS Review: A pleasing earthiness underscores this fresh, light- to medium-bodied red, layered with baked cherry and fig fruit, and accents of herb, iron and espresso. This cries out for salumi. Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio. Drink now through 2021. 225 cases imported.
Why It's of Note: This savory red is from the small island of Salina, off the northeastern tip of the larger island of Sicily, where the second and third generations of the Colosi family make a range of wines from 25 acres of vineyards. This bottling is a 50-50 blend of Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio, the signature grape varieties of Sicily's Mount Etna. Though both areas are known for their volcanic soils, versions from Salina are typically rounder and more accessible, with less pronounced acidity and tannins in their youth than their Etna counterparts.
LAMURA Grillo Sicilia 2017
WS Review: A juicy, light- to medium-bodied white, with a lively mix of guava, pineapple, Thai basil and pink grapefruit sorbet. Zippy. Drink now through 2022. 10,000 cases imported.
Why It's of Note: Lamura makes an affordable range of red and white wines including this 100-percent Grillo white, a Sicilian variety that yields fresh and fruit-forward, light-bodied wines. Grillo is planted throughout the island, but Lamura sources the fruit for this bottling from hilly vineyards in southwestern Sicily.
CANTINA MESA Carignano del Sulcis Buio 2017
WS Review: Ripe and tangy crushed raspberry fruit is bright and well-spiced in this lively, medium-bodied red, layered with supple tannins and fragrant accents of dried marjoram, Mandarin orange peel and smoky mineral. Drink now through 2022. 380 cases imported.
Why It's of Note: Founded by Gavino Sanna, Cantina Mesa was purchased by Italian powerhouse Santa Margherita in 2017, a reflection of the growing interest in the wines of Sardinia and the potential that many see in the island overall. Made from 100 percent Carignano (Carignan), the Buio is fermented and aged in stainless steel for roughly six months, providing a pure expression of this lively variety.
NURAGHE CRABIONI Vermentino di Sardegna 2017
WS Review: Bright and creamy, this light-bodied white shows hints of passionfruit and pineapple with light herb and stone accents. Citrusy finish. Drink now. 200 cases imported.
Why It's of Note: Vermentino thrives on the island of Sardinia, growing on primarily granite- and sand-layered soils that help bring out more fragrance from this semi-aromatic variety, while the warm and windy seaside conditions help producers harvest healthy grapes with good fruit expression. Nuraghe Crabioni was founded less than 20 years ago, in 2003, and this bright and citrusy bottling showcases the promise of both the winery and Sardinia's whites.