Faro
Appellation: Faro DOC
Type: Red, dry
Blend: Old head trained vines. Indigenous varietals: Nerello Mascalese, Cappuccio, Nocera, and a small fraction of Acitana, Galatena, Jacché, and Cor ’e Palumba.
Wine Details:
Tasting Notes:
Color: Ruby red with garnet reflections tending to brick.
Bouquet: Ample and intense with notes of jasmine, cardamom and ripe red fruits spicy background combined with vanilla and noble wood.
Taste: Velvety, dry and inviting, rich, deep fruit and earth, you feel the softness of the tannins on the long and persistent finish.
Alcohol: 13.5%-14% (varies with vintage).
Serving Temperature: 16/18º C (60/64º F).
Pairing: Roast meats, Mediterranean style casseroles or aged cheese.
Vinyard Notes:
Vineyard Location: The Strait of Messina, a narrow strait between the eastern tip of Sicily (Punta del Faro) and the western tip of Calabria (Punta Pezzo). Rising from the coast the influence of mountain winds and sea breezes creates a unique microclimate.
Soil: Volcanic basalt.
Elevation: 350 to 600 meters (1,150-2,000 feet) a.s.l.
Exposure: South-East, on steep slopes (78% gradient) necessitating a manual harvest with baskets of 20 kg.
Training: Alberello vine training.
Yield: 1 Kg of grapes per plant.
Winemaking Notes:
Harvest: Mid-to-end-of October.
Vinification: Soft pressing followed by fermentation with indigenous yeast and maceration in a temperature-controlled environment.
Aging and Maturation: An average of 24-months in medium-toasted Tronçais and Allier new-oak barriques. No filtering or fining. The wine is then held in bottle a further 24-months before release.
Production: About 16.000 bottles/year.
Reviews:
2010 Palari Faro – 93-95 Points - Robert Parker Wine Advocate (May 2014)
"Not released yet, the 2010 Faro Palari opens to a light garnet color and shows Burgundian aromas of small berry, moist earth and wild mushroom. Crushed flowers and rose petals also appear. Nerello Mascalese is known for the harshness of its tannins, but they have been well-managed in this expression appearing polished and smooth across the board. In fact, the tannin management in 2010 is excellent and this wine is slightly softer than previous editions." ~ M.L.
2008 Palari Faro – 94 Points - Robert Parker Wine Advocate (#212 May 2014)
"The 2008 Faro Palari is the vintage currently on the market. The 2008 vintage in the Straits of Messina is similar to 2005 in terms of its mild climate and balanced weather. A good amount of rain and cool night temperatures during harvest set the conditions for bright aromatic intensity. This wine shows a beautiful quality of fruit with small red berries and a solid dose of ripe peach. Balsam herbs and dried rosemary appear on the fringe. As the wine evolves in the glass, it begins to show more leather and black licorice. One of the most noticeable aspects of this wine is its balanced acidity. The blend is 50% Nerello Mascalese, 20% Nerello Cappuccio, 20% Nocera and 10% other indigenous grapes." ~ M.L.
2008 Palari Faro – 91 Points - James Suckling (Nov 2012)
"Rich and decadent wine with spice, foie gras, meat, ripe fruit. Full body, with round tannins, and a ripe and delicious finish. Drink now."
2008 Palari Faro – 18/20 Points – Decanter Magazine
2008 Palari Faro – 92 Points - Wine Enthusiast (March 2012 “Hot Italians”)
"The largely unexplored Faro denomination in the northern point of Sicily is producing some of the island’s best wines. The promising Nocera grape variety is used here, and Palari vintner Salvatore Geraci is one of its biggest proponents. This blended red is finely embroidered with subtle notes of forest berry, cassis, leather and spice."
2007 Palari Faro – 92 Points Wine Enthusiast (June 1, 2011)
2007 Palari Faro – 96 Points - Robert Parker Wine Advocate (#212 May 2014) "The 2007 Faro Palari shows a little more heat intensity compared to recent vintages and appears to be entering its drinking window. The 2007 vintage saw a rain-soaked spring and vigorous growth throughout the growing season. The bouquet offers resinous aromas of tar and pine nut with pretty background notes of black licorice and dusty mineral. The quality of the tannin is silky and long. This is one of my favorite editions of the wine thanks to its profound complexity and slightly denser consistency." ~ M.L.
"Not released yet, the 2010 Faro Palari opens to a light garnet color and shows Burgundian aromas of small berry, moist earth and wild mushroom. Crushed flowers and rose petals also appear. Nerello Mascalese is known for the harshness of its tannins, but they have been well-managed in this expression appearing polished and smooth across the board. In fact, the tannin management in 2010 is excellent and this wine is slightly softer than previous editions." ~ M.L.
2008 Palari Faro – 94 Points - Robert Parker Wine Advocate (#212 May 2014)
"The 2008 Faro Palari is the vintage currently on the market. The 2008 vintage in the Straits of Messina is similar to 2005 in terms of its mild climate and balanced weather. A good amount of rain and cool night temperatures during harvest set the conditions for bright aromatic intensity. This wine shows a beautiful quality of fruit with small red berries and a solid dose of ripe peach. Balsam herbs and dried rosemary appear on the fringe. As the wine evolves in the glass, it begins to show more leather and black licorice. One of the most noticeable aspects of this wine is its balanced acidity. The blend is 50% Nerello Mascalese, 20% Nerello Cappuccio, 20% Nocera and 10% other indigenous grapes." ~ M.L.
2008 Palari Faro – 91 Points - James Suckling (Nov 2012)
"Rich and decadent wine with spice, foie gras, meat, ripe fruit. Full body, with round tannins, and a ripe and delicious finish. Drink now."
2008 Palari Faro – 18/20 Points – Decanter Magazine
2008 Palari Faro – 92 Points - Wine Enthusiast (March 2012 “Hot Italians”)
"The largely unexplored Faro denomination in the northern point of Sicily is producing some of the island’s best wines. The promising Nocera grape variety is used here, and Palari vintner Salvatore Geraci is one of its biggest proponents. This blended red is finely embroidered with subtle notes of forest berry, cassis, leather and spice."
2007 Palari Faro – 92 Points Wine Enthusiast (June 1, 2011)
2007 Palari Faro – 96 Points - Robert Parker Wine Advocate (#212 May 2014) "The 2007 Faro Palari shows a little more heat intensity compared to recent vintages and appears to be entering its drinking window. The 2007 vintage saw a rain-soaked spring and vigorous growth throughout the growing season. The bouquet offers resinous aromas of tar and pine nut with pretty background notes of black licorice and dusty mineral. The quality of the tannin is silky and long. This is one of my favorite editions of the wine thanks to its profound complexity and slightly denser consistency." ~ M.L.