The prestigiousConcours Mondial de Bruxelles has just announced the results of the fourth and final tasting session this year. For the first time entirely dedicated to sweet and fortified wines, the session made up of 50 judges awarded Cantina Assuli’sPassito ’17 the silver medal. An exceptional occasion, even more important because it took place in Sicily, in Marsala– And the judges’ verdict was unanimous: this specific category deserves special attention. The Concours Mondial de Bruxelles is an international competition during which producers present over 10,000 wines tasted and evaluated blindly by a jury of professionals with one goal: to identify wines of impeccable quality, regardless of the label and the prestige of the appellation. The Concours is one of the most important international events in the sector.
Therefore, a selection of excellence in the name of elegance and refined tastes. Passito di Grillo is a sophisticated and complex wine for reflecting. The Grillo grape variety, chosen for its greater acidity and ageing longevity, has a very ancient history. This autochthonous variety thrives in the Marsala heat and is quite disease resistant. The Passito is made using the drying technique: placed on trellises, in the open air to dry naturally, the grapes begin losing their freshness, to reach more concentrated levels of sugar and nutrients. The drying, which lasts about 3/4 weeks, causes the grapes to lose part of their original weight, through water evaporation and the concentration of sugars. In this way aromas, colours and tastes are developed which, in the glass, express themselves in unique and incomparable sensations. A wine that conveys all the strength and energy of Sicilian wine: the sun that washes over the Grillo grapes, vinified in purity, which fully respects the varietal characteristics of one of Western Sicily’s most identity-making white grape varieties.
The Passito di Grillo Assuli offers a sensation that is never cloying, it is not just a wine for desserts but for meditation. It goes perfectly with traditional Sicilian desserts, from cannoli to almond pastries, dry and creamy, to small pastries. But also with the Easter and Christmas classics, the soft leavened products. It is also suitable as an aperitif with a platter of mature, spicy cheeses. Or with more daring pairings such as goose foie gras and raw shellfish.
President Roberto Caruso is extremely satisfied “we collect world-class prizes that endorse the work of grape selection and attention in the cellars for a special wine, which has distinguished itself for its particular qualities. Elegant and rich in aromas, it is complex, intense, with a notable nuance of dried figs and candied fruit on the palate. A further mark of quality and trust assigned to a real gem of our winery. It is the result of the commitment and determination of our entire team”.
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PASSITO 2017. 100% Grillo DOC Sicilia. The grapes come from Segesta vineyards, the smallest of the Assuli plots (3 hectares, 120/150 m. above sea level), near the beautiful temple of Segesta (TP). This area has a medium-textured soil rich in shells and pebbles, with a good amount of limestone and minerals. It enjoys a favourable climate, as the high hills that protect it reduce the exposure of the vines to the sun, encouraging a good temperature range. Grillo is planted there, the best known autochthonous white grape variety of Sicily, used exclusively for the production of Passito di Grillo Assuli, a rarity, a wine obtained from a late harvest of Grillo grapes dried on trellises.
Vinification: soft pressing of the grapes, followed by cold static settling; fermentation at a controlled temperature (18/20°C) in small steel containers, as well as the subsequent infusion of dried grapes
Ageing: 7/8 months in steel on its fine lees, through batonnage; at least 12 months in the bottle for its extraordinary bouquet to evolve properly.
Sensory analysis
Visual: bright golden yellow // On the nose: complex, intense and persistent where hints of honey blend with Sicilian citrus fruits // Taste: soft, elegant and seductive with a notable nuance of dried figs and candied fruit.
Pairing: perfect with the best traditional desserts, preferring dry ones, possibly embellished with some fruit.
