The beauty of the white in Sicilia
Winery Zisola | Winery location Contrada Zisola - Noto (Siracusa) | Grape varieties Grillo | Alcohol 12,50% |
Total acidity 6,00% | Vineyards location 130 m.a.s.l.; S/E exposure | Soil Medium texture, calcareous and mineral | Training system Head-pruned bush vines |
Nr. of vines for hectare 5,550 | Harvest Hand picked from August 28th | Fermentation temperature At law temperature (15 °C) | Bottling February 2024 |
Available on the market April 2024 | Production 43,000 bottles | Formats 750 ml - 1,5 lt | First vintage 2014 |
Key descriptors Aromatic, fresh, flower and citrus notes, pleasantly dry and mineral | Food pairing Light starters, pasta with seafood, grilled vegetables |
Winery Zisola | Winery location Contrada Zisola - Noto (Siracusa) | Grape varieties Grillo | Alcohol 13,00% |
Total acidity 5,40% | Vineyards location 130 m.a.s.l.; S/E exposure | Soil Medium texture, calcareous and mineral | Training system Head-pruned bush vines |
Nr. of vines for hectare 5,550 | Harvest Hand picked from September 7th | Fermentation temperature At law temperature (15 °C) | Bottling February 2023 |
Available on the market March 2023 | Production 45,000 bottles | Formats 750 ml - 1,5 lt | First vintage 2014 |
Key descriptors Aromatic, fresh, flower and citrus notes, pleasantly dry and mineral | Food pairing Light starters, pasta with seafood, grilled vegetables |
The winter was characterised by below average temperatures, with some frosts and low levels of rainfall, which laid down the basis for good plant health conditions.
The vegetative awakening and fruit-setting stages benefitted from the mild spring temperatures, which ended in May with the arrival of a series of heat waves.
The summer was extremely anomalous by Sicilian standards, with peak temperatures over 40°C, but with sudden and substantial temperature changes, and light rainfall in September, that delayed the harvest by 10 days, with respect to previous years.
The result of the harvest is most satisfactory, yielding a production of elegant wines, in line with the company’s research.
Beginning of the harvest: August 26th, 2022
End of the harvest: October 5th, 2022
Rainfalls (sum of rainfall between April 1st and September 30th): 183 mm
Temperature Index (sum of average daily temperatures from April 1st to September 30th): 4.299 °C
Evaluation: Good
Winery Zisola |
Winery location Noto, Sicilia |
Grape varieties 50% Grillo, 50% Catarratto |
Alcohol 13.00% |
Total acidity 6.50% |
Vineyards location 130 m.a.s.l.; S/E exposure |
Soil Medium texture, calcareous and mineral |
Training system Head-pruned bush vines |
Nr. of vines per hectar 5.500 plants |
Harvest Hand picked from August 26th |
Fermentation temperature 15 °C |
Bottling March 2022 |
Available on the market April 2022 |
Production 30.000 bottles |
Formats 750 ml - 1,5 lt |
First vintage 2014 |
Key description Aromatic, fresh, flower and citrus notes, pleasantly dry and mineral |
Food pairing Light starters, pasta with seafood, grilled vegetables |
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James Suckling 91 Pts |
Falstaff 90 Pts |
Winescritic.com 90 Pts |
Vini Buoni d'Italia 4 Stars |
The hot, dry summer contributed to delaying the harvest until September, with much milder temperatures and better air quality, thanks to some long-awaited and much-needed rainfall.
In terms of the climate and wine results, it is very reminiscent of the unequivocal 2014 vintage. Very elegant wines obtained with extremely impressive structure and good body. A balance achieved over the years through the confluence of plant soil and climate, also evolves in 2021 heralding plenty of satisfaction.
Beginning of the harvest: August 26th, 2021
End of the harvest: October 5th, 2021
Rainfalls (sum of rainfall between April 1st and September 30th): 83 mm
Temperature Index (sum of average daily temperatures from April 1st to September 30th): 4.286 °C
Evaluation: Very Good
Winery Zisola |
Winery location Noto, Sicilia |
Grape varieties 50% Grillo, 50% Catarratto |
Alcohol 13.00% |
Total acidity 5.80% |
Vineyards location 130 m.a.s.l.; S/E exposure |
Soil Medium texture, calcareous and mineral |
Training system Head-pruned bush vines |
Nr. of vines per hectar 5.500 plants |
Harvest Hand picked from August 27th (Grillo), September 18th (Catarratto) |
Fermentation temperature 15 °C |
Bottling March 2021 |
Available on the market April 2021 |
Production 41.000 bottles |
Formats 750 ml - 1,5 lt |
First vintage 2014 |
Key description Aromatic, fresh, flower and citrus notes, pleasantly dry and mineral |
Food pairing Light starters, pasta with seafood, grilled vegetables |
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James Suckling 91 Pts |
Falstaff 90 Pts |
Following a pattern set in recent years, rainfall levels in 2020 were very low. A period of cold at the beginning of the year aided vine dormancy and made for optimal pruning conditions.
Vegetative growth began in early March, almost two weeks earlier than average; this precocity continued through flowering and fruit set thanks to higher spring temperatures which persisted through the month of May.
The dry spell broke at the beginning of June with a few light showers which came just in time to replenish water supplies for the summer months. After two atypical years, summer fell back into a more normal rhythm for Sicily with very hot dry days and sharp temperature drops overnight. This pattern continued until the end of September, allowing bunches to mature fully and grapes to develop interesting aromatic properties.
The wines promise to be display prominent mineral notes, and to be pleasantly acidic.
Beginning of the harvest: August 27th
End of the harvest: September 30th
Rainfalls (sum of rainfall between April 1st and September 30th): 174 mm
Temperature Index (sum of average daily temperatures from April 1st to September 30th): 4114 °C
Evaluation: Good
Winery Zisola |
Winery location Noto, Sicilia |
Grape varieties 50% Grillo, 50% Catarratto |
Alcohol 13.00% |
Total acidity 5.50% |
Vineyards location 130 m.a.s.l.; S/E exposure |
Soil Medium texture, calcareous and mineral |
Training system Head-pruned bush vines |
Nr. of vines per hectar 5.500 plants |
Harvest Hand picked from September 4th (Grillo), October 2nd (Catarratto) |
Fermentation temperature 15 °C |
Bottling April 2020 |
Available on the market May 2020 |
Production 32.000 bottles |
Formats 750 ml - 1,5 lt |
First vintage 2014 |
Key description Aromatic, fresh, flower and citrus notes, pleasantly dry and mineral |
Food pairing Light starters, pasta with seafood, grilled vegetables |
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James Suckling 91 Pts |
Falstaff 90 Pts |
Winter temperatures were lower than average, with some frosts and a moderate amount of rain which gave the plants a healthy start. Mild spring temperatures aided vegetative growth and fruit set, which ended with the onset of heat on 3 June. It was an atypical summer for Sicily, with unstable temperatures that at times soared above 40°C (104°F) but also dropped off sharply at night, and constant light showers. This pushed the harvest back to ten days later than in previous years. The end result, however, was very satisfactory: a range of elegant wines fully in line with Zisola’s qualitative standards.
Beginning of the harvest: September 4th
End of the harvest: October 14th
Rainfalls (sum of rainfall between April 1st and September 30th): 185 mm
Temperature Index (sum of average daily temperatures from April 1st to September 30th): 4108 °C
Evaluation: Good
Winery Zisola |
Winery location Noto, Sicilia |
Grape varieties 50% Grillo, 50% Catarratto |
Alcohol 12.30% |
Total acidity 5.75% |
Vineyards location 130 m.a.s.l.; S/E exposure |
Soil Medium texture, calcareous and mineral |
Training system Head-pruned bush vines |
Nr. of vines per hectar 5.500 plants |
Harvest Hand picked from August 23rd (Grillo), September 13th (Catarratto) |
Fermentation temperature 15 °C |
Bottling April 2019 |
Available on the market May 2019 |
Production 24.000 bottles |
Formats 750 ml - 1,5 lt |
First vintage 2014 |
Key description Aromatic, fresh, flower and citrus notes, pleasantly dry and mineral |
Food pairing Light starters, pasta with seafood, grilled vegetables |
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Winescritic.com 90 Pts |
After a 2017 year characterised by severe drought, but with temperatures lower than the average, 2018 began with little rain which, however, did not affect the shoot growth from the end of March.
Spring was mild until May, when the climate dramatically changed, with a drop in temperature and very strong rainfall. Summer, too, was quite temperate, with many heavy showers; therefore, the harvest was postponed for 15 days.
This climatic trend continued throughout September, with mild temperatures during the day and cool ones at night, which favoured the proper ripening of the grapes. The result is satisfactory and confirms the results obtained in the previous years, with very elegant wines.
Beginning of the harvest: August 22nd
End of the harvest: September 28th
Rainfalls (sum of rainfall between April 1st and September 30th): 273 mm
Temperature Index (sum of average daily temperatures from April 1st to September 30th): 4130 °C
Evaluation: Good
Winery Zisola |
Winery location Noto, Sicilia |
Grape varieties 50% Grillo, 50% Catarratto |
Alcohol 12.50% |
Total acidity 5.85% |
Vineyards location 130 m.a.s.l.; S/E exposure |
Soil Medium texture, calcareous and mineral |
Training system Head-pruned bush vines |
Nr. of vines per hectar 5.500 plants |
Harvest Hand picked from September 6th (Grillo), August 16th (Catarratto) |
Fermentation temperature 15 °C |
Bottling March 2018 |
Available on the market May 2018 |
Production 37.000 bottles |
Formats 750 ml - 1,5 lt |
First vintage 2014 |
Key description Aromatic, fresh, flower and citrus notes, pleasantly dry and mineral |
Food pairing Light starters (anchovies with orange), Pasta with seafood (spaghetti with sardines), Grilled vegetables (peppers in sweet and sour) |
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James Suckling 91 Pts |
This vintage was characterised by a severe drought. In winter the temperatures were in line with the period, with a vigorous growth in March.
Summer was one of the hottest in the last ten years, with temperature peaks reaching 43 ° C several times between June and July. In the third decade of August, surprisingly, abundant rainfalls restored the balance of the vintage; however, the harvest was brought forward 10 days for the white grapes.
This climatic trend, with warm temperatures during the day and cool ones at night, promoted the health situation of the grape and bunches, which featured a thick skin. The result is good and confirms the trend of the previous years, with acid wines rich in colouring substances.
Beginning of the harvest: 16 August
End of the harvest: 2 October
Rainfalls (sum of rainfall between April 1st and September 30th): 225 mm
Temperature Index (sum of average daily temperatures from April 1st to September 30th): 4,188°C
Evaluation: Very good
Winery Zisola |
Winery location Noto, Sicilia |
Grape varieties 50% Grillo, 50% Catarratto |
Alcohol 12.73% |
Total acidity 6.00% |
Vineyards location 130 m.a.s.l.; S/E exposure |
Soil Medium texture, calcareous and mineral |
Training system Head-pruned bush vines |
Nr. of vines per hectar 5.500 plants |
Harvest Hand picked from September 1st (Grillo), September 8th (Catarratto) |
Fermentation temperature 15 °C |
Bottling January 2017 |
Available on the market March 2017 |
Production 38.000 bottles |
Formats 750 ml - 1,5 lt |
First vintage 2014 |
Key description Aromatic, fresh, flower and citrus notes, pleasantly dry and mineral |
Food pairing Light starters (anchovies with orange), Pasta with seafood (spaghetti with sardines), Grilled vegetables (peppers in sweet and sour) |
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Vinous 91 Pts |
James Suckling 90 Pts |
This vintage was characterised by a strong drought: in fact, after the rain at the end of October 2015 and until spring, the rainfall was just 49 mm, with winter temperatures above 6° C and a following active growth occurring at least ten days earlier than the average. This anticipation has been observed until the second week of August when, with great concern, heavy showers adjusted the proper trend of the vintage and hydrated the plants. It is surely worth mentioning the two heat waves that hit Sicily: the first was recorded between June and July and the second at the beginning of August, reaching 42° C.
Generally, the cycle of vegetation were initially subjected to warm temperatures during the day and cold ones at night, which started the blossoming and the flowering ten days earlier than the previous vintage (which started in the second half of May), followed by a good fruit setting; the veraison, too, was anticipated with respect to the seasonal average.
This climatic and weather trend granted the good health both of the vines and the bunches, which were characterised by a strong peel just before the harvest. The result was very satisfying and represented a step forward compared to the previous vintages with wines rich in colorants and strong acidity.
Beginning of the harvest: 31/08
End of the harvest: 27/09
Rainfalls (sum of rainfall between April 1st and September 30th): 225 mm
Legend
Temperature Index (sum of average daily temperatures from April 1st to September 30th): 4,202°C
Legend
Rainfalls (sum of rainfall between April 1st and September 30th)
Temperature Index (sum of average daily temperatures from April 1st to September 30th)
Evaluation: Outstanding
Winery Zisola |
Winery location Noto, Sicilia |
Grape varieties 50% Grillo, 50% Catarratto |
Alcohol 13.08% |
Total acidity 6.19% |
Vineyards location 130 m.a.s.l.; S/E exposure |
Soil Medium texture, calcareous and mineral |
Training system Head-pruned bush vines |
Nr. of vines per hectar 5.500 plants |
Harvest Hand picked from August 27th |
Fermentation temperature 15 °C |
Bottling December 2015 |
Available on the market March 2016 |
Production 35.000 bottles |
Formats 750 ml |
First vintage 2014 |
Key description Aromatic, fresh, flower and citrus notes, pleasantly dry and mineral |
Food pairing Light starters (anchovies with orange), Pasta with seafood (spaghetti with sardines), Grilled vegetables (peppers in sweet and sour) |
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James Suckling 91 Pts |
Vinous 90 Pts |
Winter was characterized by few relevant rainfalls and temperature slightly above the season’s average. Intense rainfalls started in spring followed by an instable season that lasted until August resulting in a colder summer compared to the last three years. This situation provided an optimal conditions of ripeness for the grapes. The harvest overall, presented grapes with great levels of color, acidity and PH providing harmonious, structured and complex wines.
Rainfalls (sum of rainfall between April 1st and September 30th): 72mm
Temperature Index (sum of average daily temperatures from April 1st to September 30th): 4,409°C
Evaluation: Very good
Appellation Sicilia DOC |
Winery location Contrada Zisola - Noto (Siracusa) |
Grape varieties 50% Grillo, 50% Catarratto |
Alcohol 13.00% |
Total acidity 6.25% |
Vineyards location 130 m.a.s.l.; S/E exposure |
Soil Medium texture, calcareous and mineral |
Training system Head-pruned bush vines |
Nr. of vines per hectar 5.500 plants |
Harvest Hand picked from August 28th |
Fermentation temperature At low temperature (15°C) |
Bottling December 2014 |
Available on the market March 2015 |
Production 12.000 bottles |
Formats 750 ml |
First vintage 2014 |
Key description Aromatic, fresh, flower and citrus notes, pleasantly dry and mineral |
Food pairing Light starters (anchovies with orange), Pasta with seafood (spaghetti with sardines), Grilled vegetables (peppers in sweet and sour) |
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James Suckling 91 Pts |
The winter temperature and rainfall until the middle of March were slightly higher than average.
This dry period was characterised by temperature conditions that were perfect for the constant and continuous growth of the vines and grapes.
The grapes ripened perfectly from a health and maturity point of view. The harvest gave exceptional grapes, in particular for the Nero d’Avola , with high concentrations of colour, excellent acidity and PH content and a balanced sugar content.
Beginning harvest: 28/08
End of harvest: 20/09
Rainfalls (sum of rainfall between April 1st and September 30th): 44mm
Temperature Index (sum of average daily temperatures from April 1st to September 30th): 4338°C
Evaluation: Very good / Excellent (Nero D’Avola)
Made in Italy | Allergens: contains sulphites
Leaving our mark
The Francesco Mazzei's fingerprint symbolizes the will to leave a strong mark in the Sicilian viticulture, bringing there the tradition and the knowledge coming from 25 generations of winemaking.