Synopses & Reviews
The World of Sicilian Wine provides wine lovers with a comprehensive understanding of Sicilian wine, from its ancient roots to its modern evolution. Offering a guide and map to exploring Sicily, Bill Nesto, an expert in Italian wine, and Frances Di Savino, a student of Italian culture, deliver a substantive appreciation of a vibrant wine region that is one of Europeand#8217;s most historic areas and a place where many cultures intersect.
From the earliest Greek and Phoenician settlers who colonized the island in the eighth century B.C., the culture of wine has flourished in Sicily. A parade of foreign rulers was similarly drawn to Sicilyand#8217;s fertile land, sun-filled climate, and strategic position in the Mediterranean. The modern Sicilian quality wine industry was reborn in the 1980s and 1990s with the arrival of wines made with established international varieties and state-of-the-art enology. Sicily is only now rediscovering the quality of its indigenous grape varieties, such as Nero dand#8217;Avola, Nerello Mascalese, Frappato, Grillo, and distinctive terroirs such as the slopes of Mount Etna.
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and#8220;Impressively well-researched. . . . For anyone who loves Italian wines and wants to know more about Sicily, the book is invaluable.and#8221;
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“This clearly a heartfelt book: The authors affection for Sicily and its people - especially its devoted wine people - shines through everywhere, though it never gets in the way of their clear-eyed view of Sicilian winemakings possibilities and pitfalls.” Tom Maresca
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and#8220;Everyone can appreciate that Italian wines are delicious. But their depth and fascinating history are often overlooked. Italy enthusiasts, Bill Nesto and his wife, Frances di Savino deliver a sincere homage to the vibrant wine region in their book, The World of Sicilian Wine.and#8221;
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"A major contribution to knowledge about Italian viticultural history."
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"invaluable to those seeking clarity on a region whose successes have gone largely uncharted."
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and#8220;With this book, the authors have given Sicily and its wines an exceptional tributeand#8230;they have succeeded in making the story of Sicilian wine both understandable and entertaining, without compromising the academic integrity of the work.and#8221;
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and#8220;An adventure with so much information about the history, culture and winemaking that it is difficult to put it down till the end. . . . Novices as well as wine experts and serious students of Sicilian wine culture and history will cherish the book for a long time."
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and#8220;A full exploration of Sicilian wine, complete with. . . the regionand#8217;s enological and viticultural evolution, best wineries and most significant wines. . . . A mix of culture, anthropology and more enrich the book.and#160; There is no book like this one available on the market.and#8221;
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and#8220;We also owe a great deal of gratitude to Bill Nesto MW and Frances di Savino for their superb book, The World of Sicilian Wine. . . . and#160; [T]he book is a tour de force on Sicilian wine.and#8221;
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and#8220;Wine drinkers who like their wine and vine facts with generous helpings of history, culture and geography will enjoy and#8220;The World of Sicilian Wine.and#8221;and#160; Nesto and di Savino have written a handy and informative guide for the wine tourist and armchair traveler alike.and#8221;
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"The World of Sicilian Wine . . . does more than toss around the word terroir, it burrows deep within it and gives it real meaning.and#8221;
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and#8220;The authors really do take the title seriously, revealing a stunning 360-degree examination of Sicilyand#8217;s world of wine.and#8221;
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and#8220;This is a fantastic read . . . not just for wine people, but people who are studying Greek and Roman literature and mythology and Italian and Renaissance history.and#160; There are so many applications for this book beyond just learning about wine.and#8221;
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and#8220;Authoritative and humorous.and#8221;
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and#8220;Top 10 Wine Books of 2013: Nesto and Di Savino have given us a model for how to write about an Old World wine region. . . . If you are interested in Sicilian wines or simply the history of Sicily, this is your book."
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and#8220;I really enjoyed this book. . . . [It] succeeds in taking us on a voyage through this complicated but magical wine region.and#8221;
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"An essential starting point for anyone interested in the island's wines or Italian wine in general."
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"A fascinating, well-written study of an area by an accomplished duo who bring Sicily and its wines to life."
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"With scholarly accuracy and depth . . . this oenophile's resource spans all aspects of Sicilian wine, from flavor to geography, varieties, viticulture, terroir, and more."
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"Wine lovers will appreciate this well-researched book on Sicily's wine industry."
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"An excellent survey of an important wine region of Italy that is all too often overlooked by wine writers. . . . Accessible to anyone with an interest in Sicilian wine and a passing familiarity with wine terminology."
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"I can recall no work that captures so completely in English the story of Sicilian wine. Keep The World of Sicilian Wine handy on your reference shelf, devour it like an Inspector Montalbano page-turner, or use it as a guidebook to the vineyards."
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“Authoritative and humorous.” Lynn Krielow Chamberlain - iWineRadio
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"A nifty guide to an up-and-coming wine area."
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"The sheer weight of historical, geographical, and viticultural information is enough to make this the definitive English-language book on the island's wines."
Synopsis
and#147;This painstakingly researched and well-written book is highly recommended reading not only for those seeking entry into the mysteries of the Sicilian wine scene but also for those seeking an introduction to the twists and turns of Sicilian history generally. That Bill Nesto is a Master of Wine is apparent from the knowledgeable way he treats matters viticultural and vinous. That he and his co-author/wife have southern Italian, indeed Sicilian, blood flowing through their veins is apparent in the passion and intensity with which they handle their material."--Nicolas Belfrage, MW, author of
The Finest Wines of Tuscany and Central Italyand#147;Few wine books are as deeply researched and detailed as this exhaustive reference on Sicilian wine from antiquity to the present day. Even the most knowledgeable oenophiles and Italophiles will learn from The World of Sicilian Wine."--Robert Camuto, author of Palmento: A Sicilian Wine Odyssey
About the Author
Bill Nesto is a Master of Wine and a founder of the Wine Studies Program at Boston University. An expert on the wines of the world, he has written for Gastronomica, Santand#233; and Massachusetts Beverage Business. Frances Di Savino is an attorney who has a background in medieval and Renaissance studies and is Billand#8217;s partner in life and on the wine road.
Table of Contents
List of Maps
Acknowledgments
Preface
1. The Origins of Sicilian Wine and Culture
2. The Lost Opportunity: 1775 to 1950
3. The Modern Sicilian Wine Industry
4. Perpetual Wine
5. The Geography of Sicily
6. Vine Varieties
7. Viticulture in Sicily
8. Enology in Sicily
9. At the Heart of Sicily
10. Understanding Sicilian Wine by Place: The Three Valleys
11. Val di Mazara
12. Val di Noto
13. Val Demone
14. The Garden-Vineyard
Afterword
Notes
Selected Bibliography
Index