Marco de Bartoli, Marsala Oro Vigna La Miccia, Sicily, Italy, 2018

Overview of the Wine
Bukkuram, from the Arabic “father of the vineyard”, was the original name given to this southwestern-facing plateau by North African settlers who brought Zibbibo (Muscat of Alexandria) in the 700s. 'Padre della Vigna' is the original wine of this estate, and only produced in the best vintages. It is aged for a minimum of three years in barrel before bottling.

The 45-100 year old vineyard is surrounded by low stone walls protecting it from the forceful but warm Atlantic winds known as "sirocco' coming from the north coast of Africa. These low stone walls are also used to dry the clusters of Zibbibo after they are picked by hand. The adjacent cellar is hosted in a historic dammuso (typical farmhouse) of the 18th century.

The vineyard is trained as low, free-standing bushes with the “alberello pantesco” system, declared by the UNESCO World Heritage agricultural practice in 2014.

Grape / Blend
Grillo

Origin
Sicily, Italy

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
100% Grillo, the La Miccia is the most youthful and straight-forward bottling in the De Bartoli's line up, and the only one not aged in the solera/perpetuum system. Carrying a more light-weight demeanor than its counterparts, the La Micca is more dialed back in terms of sweetness but offers something notably more fleshy and fruit-dominant having been fermented in tank in an effort to preserve freshness, before aging in large barrels for 4 years. Redolent with fresh mandarin peel, vanilla pod and crushed, toasted nuts, there is a beauty found in subtlety and restraint here, a wine that strikes a nimble yet understate balance between the savor and the sweet.

Product size: 750ml