Italy Tasting Wednesday 11th May

I am pleased to announce that we are now taking bookings for our Tasting of the Wines of Cantine Calatrasi (Sicily and Puglia) to be held on Wednesday 11th May.

We welcome Massimo Rotoloni to the Peak Weavers in King Street, Leek where he will be guiding us through a range of nine wines to be accompanied by a selection of cheeses.

Owned by the Micciche family who started farming vineyards in Sicily in 1750, Calatrasi is currently run by 10th generation Maurizio who in 1980 founded the modern business of today which now owns over a thousand hectares in Sicily, Puglia and Tunisia.

Up until thirty years ago Sicily was known only for Marsala, sweet Moscato and a supply of almost undrinkable wine exported northwards for blending. Thanks to a European regional development programme and huge goverment grants the wine industry has now become the biggest in Italy and one of the most modern. Dominated by huge automated cooperatives, vast quantities of mostly whites are made using New World techniques and deliver safe and reliable if uninteresting wines.

Producers such as Calatrasi however demonstrate the true potential of the island, as recognised by the International Wine and Spirit Challenge in 2009 which awarded them Italian Producer of the Year. We will taste examples of both their more traditional wines made from local varieties Grillo, Catarratto and Nero d'Avola, as well as international varieties Viognier and Syrah. The star of the night promises to be their incredible, silky multi-layered barrel fermented "Super Nero d'Avola" made in Ripasso style, whose 2006 vintage won a Gold medal in IWSC and acheived 90 points in Wine Spectator.

Although only very recently active in Puglia, the Casalbaio Estate purchased by Calatrasi in 2000 focuses on the two varietals for which the region is best known - Primitivo and Negroamaro - using sustainable farming, handpicking, and maturation in French oak barriques to produce excellent examples which we shall also taste that evening.

Tickets for this event are £16 each in advance only, available from The Wine Shop Leek. We accept most credit and debit cards over the phone (call 01538 382408) or simply call into the shop to reserve yours.

Should be a great night!

Léonie