Stelo Italian Wine

This variety is probably of Puglian origin. It found its way to Sicily as a replacement vine in the aftermath of the late-19th century phylloxera epidemic. By the 1930s, it accounted for around 60% of the island‚is vines. This figure dropped to around 17,400 hectares by the 1950s. Today, it accounts for little more than 6,000 hectares, and its production area is largely confined to the seaboard between Trapani and Marsala. Grillo is part of the grape mix for Marsala and is also blended with other varieties to make attractive dry whites. The Grillo grape is high in sugar, and, like all successful Sicilian white varieties, it produces wines with good body, which can continue to evolve for three or four years. Straw to pale gold. One finds light notes of hazelnuts, sweet corn and butterscotch on the nose. The wine has good body. A fresh almond note emerges on the finish.