Mamertino DOC

Very inviting from the outset with notes of dried blueberries, raspberry cheesecake and dried nutmeg. Medium-bodied, soft and elegant. Quite tense but juicy tannins. Drink now. – J.S.

James Suckling - November 2019

The 2017 Mamertino is a blend of Nero d’Avola and the rare Nocera grape, hailing from coastal vineyards in the extreme northeast of Sicily. It features a gorgeous display of crushed blueberries and sweet spice, complicated by hints of tobacco and white smoke. This is soft and silky, yet conveys an almost salty tension, as the Mamertino then gives way to a pure expression of red and blue fruits, all motivated by juicy acidity, which slowly fizzles out to a lasting note of sweet violet florals and cheek-puckering tannins. It’s a unique and gorgeous expression of variety and place. -E.G.

Vinous - June 2021

The Planeta team makes this blend with nocera and nero d’Avola culled from low-lying vines at the tip of Sicily’s Capo Milazzo peninsula. The two varieties work well together, the robust and deeply-colored nocera (40 percent) bolstering nero d’Avola’s plummy fruit tones and lively acidity. Hints of dark chocolate, licorice and dried herbs weave through the flavors as the wine moves to a saline finish. – S.J.

Wine & Spirits - June 2021

Made with 60% Nero d’Avola and 40% Nocera, this has aromas of dark-skinned berry, baking spice and Mediterranean herb. Reflecting the nose, the mediumbodied palate has concentrated flavors of dried Morello cherry, blackberry jam and cinnamon set against taut, fine-grained tannins. Drink 2021–2025. —K.O.

Wine Enthusiast - December 2020

The 2017 Mamertino is a unique wine that represents a DOC wine appellation in Milazzo (in the northern tip of Sicily) that gets very little use as far as I can tell. The traditional blend is Nero d'Avola and Nocera, and the wine is easy in approach and execution. There's nothing too complicated here—just fresh cherry and blackberry followed by earthy tones and some subtle mineral or sea breeze nuances. – M.L.

Wine Advocate - October 2019

Light, finely chewy, tart and dry with notes of sour cherry, mushroom, leather and potpourri. - C.F.

Planet Grape - March 2022