<p>Learn Sicilian wine secrets and taste one of the rarest light bodied red wines called Frappato – a must try for Pinot lovers.</p>
<p>The wine in this video is from <a href="https://winefolly.com/club/" title="Learn more about Wine Folly Club">Wine Folly Club!</a></p>


Learn Sicilian wine secrets and taste one of the rarest light bodied red wines called Frappato – a must try for Pinot lovers.

The wine in this video is from [Wine Folly Club!](https://winefolly.com/club/ "Learn more about Wine Folly Club")

Sicily's Rarest Red is a Ringer for Pinot Noir

<p>Asti is Piedmont’s fizzy side hustle; the region where Moscato Bianco turns into wines so easy to drink they practically refill your glass for you. While Barolo gets all the headlines for being powerful and age-worthy, Asti shows off the lighter, sparkling, and more approachable side of Piedmont. Rolling hills, historic villages, and vineyards that hug the contours of the land create the perfect backdrop for Italy’s most iconic sweet and sparkling wines. </p>
<h2 id="meet-moscato-bianco-aka-muscat-blanc">Meet Moscato Bianco (aka Muscat Blanc)</h2>
<p>The grape behind it all is <a href="https://winefolly.com/grapes/muscat-blanc/">Muscat Blanc</a>, one of Italy’s oldest grape varieties. Its signature traits (intense aromas of peach, orange blossom, and honeysuckle) make it a natural candidate for sparkling wine. Muscat Blanc’s thin skin and <a href="https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/understanding-acidity-in-wine/">high acidity</a> are perfect for fermentation techniques that retain freshness and preserve aromatic intensity. Understanding Moscato also means learning how sugar and acidity balance interact: the grape naturally produces high sugar levels, which winemakers transform into delicate, lively wines rather than cloying sweetness.</p>
<h2 id="two-styles-one-grape">Two Styles, One Grape</h2>
<p>Asti’s magic comes in two main expressions:</p>
<p><strong>Moscato d’Asti:</strong> lightly sparkling and low in alcohol (around 5–6%), it’s a gently fizzy, aromatic wine that’s perfect for casual sipping or pairing with fresh fruit and pastries. Its restrained bubbles mean you can enjoy it throughout the day without feeling overwhelmed.</p>
<p><strong>Asti Spumante:</strong> fully sparkling with higher carbonation and pressure, this style amps up the festive factor, making it ideal for celebrations, toasts, or any moment that deserves a glass of joy.</p>
<p>Both styles are crafted using the Asti Method, a variation of <a href="https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/how-sparkling-wine-is-made/">tank fermentation</a> that locks in fruitiness and aromatic intensity while keeping the wine lively. Unlike traditional Champagne, this method is about preserving freshness and making sparkling wine approachable for everyday enjoyment. Understanding this process helps explain why Asti wines are sweet yet crisp, aromatic, and so drinkable.</p>
<h2 id="centuries-of-bubbles">Centuries of Bubbles</h2>
<p>Asti’s history with sparkling wine goes back hundreds of years. Locals were capturing Moscato’s natural fizz as early as the 1500s, making it one of the world’s first sparkling wine regions. The region perfected <a href="https://winefolly.com/tips/alcohol-content-in-wine/">low-alcohol</a>, aromatic sparkling wines long before <a href="https://winefolly.com/wines/prosecco/">Prosecco</a> — or any other globally famous bubbly — claimed the spotlight. </p>
<p>That historical context gives every sip a sense of place: centuries of experimentation, refinement, and careful vineyard work that continue to influence modern winemaking in Asti. Explore our <a href="https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/piedmont-wine-map-of-italy/">Piedmont guide</a> to see how Asti fits into the region’s wine story.</p>
<h2 id="why-asti-belongs-in-your-fridge">Why Asti Belongs in Your Fridge</h2>
<p>Asti wines are designed to bring joy, and their approachability makes them perfect for casual sipping, festive occasions, and culinary adventures alike. Watching the bubbles dance in a glass of Moscato d’Asti is a reminder that wine can be fun, educational, and delicious all at once. </p>
<p>Watch the video and dive into Wine Folly’s <a href="https://asti.guides.winefolly.com">Asti Region Guide</a> to explore Piedmont’s most playful wines, learn more about Moscato Bianco, and get insider tips on tasting, pairing, and appreciating bubbles like a pro.</p>
<p><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/9dpm55oop5oi/5wwhW7WPwA1suN1VoJdnAC/476da29a696936075c177316c09c9cc8/asti-emblem.png" alt="Asti Emblem"></p>
<p><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/9dpm55oop5oi/lUqPQ3JzHcDxK0I79Flht/58b285ca296774ce64f5038b08982140/Asti_OCM.jpg" alt="Asti OCM"></p>


Guide to Wine From Asti

<p>What makes a great wine glass? Madeline Puckette walks through Wine Folly&#39;s glassware collection and why shape matters.</p>
<p><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/9dpm55oop5oi/580Ny6p30OpaVWC7TRnuN5/6c6a97cb021c061c0034997c65d70840/types-of-wine-glasses-by-style-winefolly.jpg" alt="Types of wine glasses by style | Wine Folly"></p>
<h2 id="universal-glass-conundrum">Universal Glass Conundrum</h2>
<p>We love universal glasses for comparative tasting when learning about wine. But when we&#39;re drinking wine? Well, that&#39;s a different story. As it turns out, having a glass shape specialized to the wine you&#39;re drinking does improve the flavor. </p>
<p>Why not always get the best taste out of a glass of wine? So, this is why <a href="https://shop.winefolly.com/collections/glassware" title="Shop Glassware on Wine Folly">we picked a collection of glassware</a> that highlights different wine&#39;s best features. </p>
<h2 id="glass-size">Glass Size</h2>
<p>For white wines, glasses tend to be smaller and much less wide, this helps keep your wine cooler. </p>
<p>Red wines glasses tend to vary in size, with some glasses being quite large because cold temperatures aren&#39;t as high of a priority when tasting (compared to tannin sensation and aromatics).  </p>
<h2 id="bowl-size">Bowl Size</h2>
<p>The bigger and rounder the bowl of a wine glass, the greater the aromas! For Pinot Noir, an aromatic red, this is a big deal. It&#39;s the reason why you&#39;ll often find Pinot Noir (aka Burgundy) red wine glasses to have the largest bowls. </p>
<p>It&#39;s not just Pinot Noir that benefits from a big, round bowl. You can also find this style of glass with Nebbiolo (Barolo and Barbaresco), Gamay, and Nerello Mascalese.</p>
<h2 id="opening-diameter">Opening Diameter</h2>
<p>We used to say you should look for a universal glass with a diameter of 2.5 inches or larger. Why? Well, it has a lot to do with how the tannins in red wine hit your palate. Of course, if you&#39;re not limiting yourself to a universal glass, you can pick based on the wine. </p>
<p>Smaller diameters help amplify acidity in wines and work excellently for white wines. </p>
<p>Larger diameters mitigate the drying, astringent sensation of tannins and are great for bolder red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon. </p>
<h2 id="final-sips">Final Sips</h2>
<p>Regardless of what kind of glassware you choose (be it universal or specialized glasses) perhaps the most important secret of great glassware is feeling confident cleaning it. For that, check out this handy video on how <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0i9FKVSkubw" title="Watch Now">we keep our glassware sparkly.</a> </p>


Wine Folly's Wine Glass Collection (2025)

<p>Alentejo, Portugal, is a land of extremes: scorching summers, wild cork forests, ancient dolmens, and wines so dark they look like ink in the glass. On a recent trip, Wine Folly set out to answer a quirky but important question: Can you actually taste stone in wine? Specifically—marble stone.</p>
<h2 id="the-marble-mystery">The Marble Mystery</h2>
<p>Alentejo is famous for its marble industry, especially around Estremoz and Borba. You’ll find marble castles, marble quarries, even marble-paved streets. But vineyards? Yes, some of the region’s vines grow directly out of marble-based soils. And those soils don’t just look dramatic—they affect the taste of the wines.</p>
<h2 id="how-marble-soils-shape-wine">How Marble Soils Shape Wine</h2>
<p>Marble may be tough as stone, but in the vineyard it does delicate work:</p>
<p><strong>Heat Absorption:</strong> Marble soaks up the day’s warmth and radiates it back at night, nudging grapes toward ripeness.</p>
<p><strong>Drainage:</strong> Like <a href="https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/introduction-soil-types-wine/">gravel</a>, marble drains fast, limiting water retention and stressing vines in a good way. The result? Grapes with more aromatic intensity.</p>
<p><strong>Structure:</strong> Wines from marble soils often show lighter body, fresher acidity, and softer <a href="https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/what-are-wine-tannins/">tannins</a> compared to their clay-soil cousins.</p>
<p>Side by side, clay-based wines tend to be darker, <a href="https://winefolly.com/tips/homage-to-big-bold-red-wines/">bolder</a>, and richer, while marble-soil wines lean perfumed, lifted, and bright.</p>
<h2 id="the-blind-tasting-challenge">The Blind Tasting Challenge</h2>
<p>To test this out, Wine Folly staged a blind tasting. One wine was made from vines rooted in marble soils, the other from grapes fermented in a traditional marble lagar (tank). Both were deep <a href="https://winefolly.com/grapes/alicante-bouschet/">Alicante Bouschet</a> reds — Alentejo’s calling card grape.</p>
<p>The clues? Color, aromatics, and body. The marble-soil wine was slightly lighter in hue, more aromatic, and carried a zippy freshness. The clay/lagar wine was richer, denser, and more brooding. The guess? Nailed it. Marble, it turns out, does leave a fingerprint.</p>
<h2 id="cork-forests-alentejos-other-gift">Cork Forests: Alentejo’s Other Gift</h2>
<p>Of course, Alentejo’s wines aren’t just about marble. The region is also home to vast Montado cork forests; UNESCO cultural landscapes that supply most of the world’s cork stoppers. These trees are harvested only once every 9–12 years, and their presence has shaped Portugal’s role in global wine culture for centuries. Together with marble soils, cork forests remind us that Alentejo’s land is inseparable from its wines.</p>
<h2 id="final-sip">Final Sip</h2>
<p>So, can you taste stone in wine? In Alentejo, the answer is yes. Marble soils bring freshness and perfume to wines otherwise known for their dark, bold character. Pair that with cork forests safeguarding biodiversity, and you get a region where both bark and stone play a starring role in every glass.</p>


Can You Taste Stone in Your Wine? (Blind Tasting in Alentejo)

Vittoria

Frappato

A rare and exclusive grape variety cultivated on only a few hectares, it is best expressed in the red sands of Vittoria, not far from the sea. An aromatic and pleasant red wine as few others, a perfect synthesis between tradition and innovation.

'It is a new way of thinking about the journey through Sicily; after Menfi, Vittoria, then Noto, then Etna, then Milazzo. Not a random route, but one strongly linked to the variety of countryside, to the winds, to the character of the people and thus of their wine…’ Diego Planeta

Planeta’s story is one of courage and hard work, of innovation and tradition. 
The company and the family share their values, both with an eye to the future and with their feet firmly on the ground.
Courage and innovation since the 1990’s, due to several of that generation of the family then in their twenties led by Alessio Planeta and under the protective care of the founder Diego Planeta, who initiated a completely new project, placing wine in the centre of the family’s farming activities.

After establishing the first winery at Ulmo in 1994 the ‘Viaggio in Sicilia’ took off, in other words, the search for the best known areas of the island in order to create independent wineries and produce what would be considered the best wines in each area, working with indigenous vines while continuing to experiment with international varieties.  
These last were developed particularly at Menfi, the working centre of the company, where the number of vines and wineries always continued to increase.
The next stage of the journey took place at Vittoria in 1997, where the only Sicilian DOCG, Cerasuolo di Vittoria, then existed, initially with vineyards and followed up with the purchase of the Dorilli estate. Next Noto in 1998 with the acquisition of Buonivini and with the specific intention of achieving the excellence of Nero d’Avola within its region of origin. Then Etna with the acquisition of the first 12 hectares of land at Sciaranuova on the northern slopes of the volcano in 2008, and the gradual purchase of more land bringing the total area to 40 hectares, devoted to Nerello Mascalese and Carricante, with small trial areas of Pinot Noir and Riesling.

This wonderful journey has for the moment finished at Capo Milazzo, and the tiny winery of Baronia, where since 2011 the focus has been on the DOC Mamertino and various antique indigenous varieties, particularly Nocera.

All this began from that first venture at Ulmo, the estate acquired by the family through marriage in 1694, 17 generations ago, and since then always cultivated with vines and olives; an authentic family tradition.

Now exists their obligation; the values which have always directed the company are tradition, research, the work ethic and respect for the land; to contribute to the progress of the community where they operate; to safeguard the beauty and environmental integrity of those places.  This last element is particularly loaded with meaning due to the particular beauty of the areas where the vineyards and wineries are sited.  Ulmo, Dispensa, Dorilli, Buonivini, Sciaranuova and La Baronia are unforgettable places, emphasising the saying that good wines are made in beautiful places.
Today there are overall 395 hectares and 7 wineries in five different areas.  Each winery has its leading wine-maker, each one is wholly part of its territory on which it is  modelled.

Four of the five wineries produce exclusively grapes and wines certified as organic;
Planeta has subscribed to SOStain’s protocol of sustainability since its inception, a further guarantee of their attention to the environment and to the land.  It is sufficient to visit any one of the wineries to understand to what extent the environment, the countryside and the culture are fundamental values of the company.
 


Planeta is not solely concerned with wine.  In the flora and fauna oasis of Capparrina (Menfi), owned by the family since the 19th century, 148 hectares of olive grove have been planted since 1998.  The olives – Nocellara del Belice, Biancolilla and Cerasuola – are processed as soon as harvested at the olive press in the centre of the estate; the result is an IGP extra-virgin olive oil which has been awarded various national and international awards.

Finally Planeta has devoted increasing investment and resources, under the guidance of Francesca Planeta, to the development of property activities and particularly to high-profile hospitality.  This began with La Foresteria, the Menfi wine resort established in 2009 and inscribed in the Ecoluxury list, to be followed with Palazzo Planeta in Palermo and Le Case Sparse at Noto.
In addition three of the estates – Ulmo, Buonivini and Sciaranuova – have in their turn become centres of hospitality linked to wine tourism (tastings, events, experiences, wine sales) and fully represent the synthesis of Planeta’s activities and their vision.


Sicily's Rarest Red is a Ringer for Pinot Noir

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