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Wines of Rapitala
July 25, 2009 (Sat)
from 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Darien, CT
Event Details
Wine OR Wine & Food
In 1968 Hugues Bernard, Count of Gatinais, France and his wife Gigi Guarrasi, a descendant of a prominent Palermo family, had a dream to purchase and reconstruct Tenuta Rapitala. Founded in the 14th century, according to a document that chronicled a dispute over a particularly sought after piece of property within the confines of "Casalj Rabitallavi", the estate was destroyed by an earthquake in the 1960s. The couple seized this opportunity to turn a dream into a reality and proceeded to build a winery with the best possible facilities.
The
vineyards, while dedicated to the growth of highly typical indigenous Cataratto
Lucido and Nero d'Avola, also became home to international varietals such as
Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Syrah; a gamble that Count Hugues Gatinais
felt had too much potential to pass up despite initial uproar by local
winegrowers. His decision paid off and today the estate is a proud member of a
restricted circle of great wineries that have influenced Sicilian oenology for
the past thirty years.
Tenuta Rapitala Campo Reale 2007
100% Nero D’Avola. Tenuta Rapitala is located in the region of Camporeale, a breathtaking inland region of Sicily, mountainous yet dry and sandy. The estate encompasses 70 acres, 35 of which are vines which extend over sensuous, rolling hills at 1000 to 2000 feet elevation. Here, clay and sand soils alternate, and this favorable soil composition makes Camporeale ideal for vine growing.There are fragrant, floral aromas of dark berries, clove, spice and herbs. On the palate, the fruit has a warm, full structure, with soft tannins and acidity that helps the long finish. Pair with roasts, pork, pasta in meat sauce, Hard cheeses, fowl, duck, chicken, turkey, white meats.
Tenuta Rapitala Hugonis 2002
50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% Nero D’Avola. Hugonis is named in honor of Hugnonis Bernardi, a knight in armor who dates to the Medieval period. The Sicililan vineyard where this blend of Cabernet and Nero D'Avola is grown features a large diurnal shift due to the Mediterranean influence. The wine is aged in small barriques to bolster the natural concentration of the blend. Ripe and perfumed with an herbal, smoky edge. Big, round and full. Developed fruit flavors and balanced structure with ripe tannins to finish. Pair with roasts, grilled meats, beef.
Tenuta Rapitala Piano Maltese Bianco 2007
50% Chardonnay, 50% Grillo. Selected parcels of vines from different altitudes in the Rapitalà estate are used for this wine. The vines are Guyot-trained on clay soils, and yields are kept low to encourage concentration and complexity. After aging on the lees for some months, the wine is bottled in February. Lees aging imparts depth and complexity in aromas and palate flavors, while the wine has acidity that helps its fresh character on the palate. The wine shows expressive, fruity aromas and elegant flavors on the palate. It is a wine with a fresh Mediterranean character, with savory, elegant flavors and a note of bitter almonds. Pair with white meats, shellfish, fish, crab, chicken, Antipasto.
Tenuta Rapitala Nadir Syrah 2005
100% Syrah. The grapes come from vineyards sited at 450 meters elevation, cultivated utilizing quality viticulture, and planted at a high density of 5,500 vines per hectare, to encourage vines to penetrate deep into the clay soils of the zone. Vines are Guyot-trained, and yields are kept low, about 3.6 tons per hectare, or under two tons per acre, with the goal of producing small grapes with concentrated, rich aromas and palate flavors of depth and complexity. Generous and complex, this syrah is packed with black cherry fruit, wet earth and licorice. Rounding out with an herbal component and vanilla, the wine is quite accessible as the tannins are soft and velvety. Pair with venison, roasts, red meat, pork, grilled meats, game, fowl, beef.
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