Carluccio's Vini Di Famiglia Wine Festival
By Jo Aspin 2nd Jun 2009

This summer, from 7th June to 1st August, Carluccio’s in Brighton will take you back to the ancient vineyards of Sicily with a season of Vini di Famiglia (wines from families) as they celebrate their annual wine festival. The eight week festival will see Carluccio’s feature some of Sicily’s best wines, conduct special wine tastings and serve authentic Sicilian produce and seasonal delicacies.

THE WINES
Carluccio’s will showcase 11 fantastic wines from the hottest names in Sicilian wine-making with whom they have worked closely with for many years. The family-run Planeta winery and the Cantine Settesoli co-operative is located in one of the most important wine producing areas in Sicily, Menfi. For three generations thousands of Sicilian families have devoted their lives to perfecting the art of traditional wine cultivation – thanks to Diego Planeta, whose daughter Francesca Planeta now runs the Planeta winery, and whose vision has inspired a new generation of premium Sicilian wines with rich exotic varietal blends. From soil to glass, when you taste the finished article of these local wines, you’ll also taste the love, labour and devotion that have gone into this historic local trade.

Whilst the Planeta family is well known for producing some of Italy’s best wines, Settesoli, with its 2,300 growers, is an exception to the general belief that co-operatives can produce anything but commodity wines. Settesoli is relentlessly focused on quality with a whole stream of awards under its various labels a testament to this. In 2006, Settesoli was awarded Winery of the Year in L’Almanacco del Berebene (Italy’s Good Drinkers Guide).

Exclusive to Carluccio’s in the UK, is Planeta’s Alastro (£12.50), which blends native Grecanico grapes with chardonnay to create a rich, fruity and easy drinking wine that’s perfect with fresh fish and risotto. New wines sourced specially for the Vini Di Famiglia Wine Festival include Settesoli’s Carthago Mandrarossa 2008 (£15.95), recipient of Italian wine’s highest prize, the Gambero Rosso’s coveted Tre Bicchierie (Three Glasses Award). This tantalising red, made from Nero D’Avalo grapes, is intense and spicy with hints of plum, cherry, liquorice and black pepper and is fantastic paired with red meats - particularly great with lasagne. For a truly summery wine, Planeta’s rosé (£10.50) is a light, fresh syrah with subtle flavours of strawberry and pomegranate, making it ideal as an aperitivo or with light pasta dishes.

Whichever of the 11 Sicilian wine you choose, all deliver on quality and taste whilst being fantastically priced, from £8.95 to £19.50 per
bottle.

TRY BEFORE YOU BUY
Carluccio’s invites wine lovers to discover the wines of Settesoli and Planeta at their complimentary tastings. Every Thursday from 6pm-8pm, between 11th June and 30th July, guests can sample these sensational Sicilian wines.

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