<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>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)

<p>Welcome to Beja, the southern frontier of Portugal&#39;s Alentejo wine region. A land where summer temperatures regularly hit 135ºF (57ºC). A land of survival, resilience, and tradition. And at the center of it all? An ancient winemaking vessel called the talha (pronounced “tahl-yah”).</p>
<p>These massive clay pots (some taller than a human) have been used in Portugal since Roman times. And while the technique was nearly lost to modernization, today, talha wines are some of the most exciting (and unexpected) in Europe.</p>
<h2 id="beja-portugals-wild-south">Beja: Portugal&#39;s Wild South</h2>
<p>To understand talha wines, you have to understand Beja.</p>
<p>This is the <a href="https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/what-wines-to-drink-from-portugal-by-region/">southern slice of Alentejo</a>, home to subregions like Vidigueira, Moura, and Granja-Amareleja. The terrain is rugged, dry, and sun-scorched. In August, stepping outside is like opening an oven door. And yet, this extreme climate produces surprisingly elegant wines, if you know where to look.</p>
<p>Some grapes, such as Moreto (a local red variety similar to <a href="https://winefolly.com/grapes/pinot-noir/">Pinot Noir</a> and <a href="https://winefolly.com/grapes/grenache/">Grenache</a>) and Perrum (a white variety), have adapted to thrive in these harsh conditions. They ripen fully while maintaining freshness; a rare feat in such heat. And when you ferment them in a talha, something magical happens.</p>
<p><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/9dpm55oop5oi/2xPaldc4q75gFuwE3vsQ0c/cb963ccad557f0e316672f4a8cc09dfb/Talhas_at_Rocim_Winery_in_Southern_Alentejo._Credit.jpg" alt="Talhas at Rocim Winery in Southern Alentejo. ">
Talhas at Rocim Winery in Southern Alentejo. <a href="https://rocim.pt/produto/amphora-wine-tour/">Credit</a></p>
<h2 id="what-is-talha-wine-exactly">What Is Talha Wine, Exactly?</h2>
<p>Think of a talha as Portugal&#39;s version of the <a href="https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/concrete-egg-fermenters-classic-or-cracked-fad/">amphora</a>: a giant clay vessel used to ferment and sometimes age wine. But these aren&#39;t just historical novelties. Talha winemaking is still alive in parts of Beja, especially Vidigueira, where some winemakers ferment wine exactly as the Romans did.</p>
<p>The process is simple, but not easy:</p>
<ul>
<li>Whole grapes are crushed and placed directly into the talha</li>
<li>Fermentation happens naturally (no temperature control, no fancy tools)</li>
<li>Gases must be released by stirring (or risk a clay explosion)</li>
<li>Some winemakers even leave the wine on skins for months</li>
</ul>
<p>The result? Wines that are textured, <a href="https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/what-are-wine-tannins/">tannic</a>, earthy, and deeply tied to their place. They taste old, in a good way.</p>
<p><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/9dpm55oop5oi/2AFixfrhvMIsZrY4x1e9CR/e3bfbea18814c6f52efe0ad049a104b3/Wine_Folly%C3%A2__s_Madeline_Puckette_tastes_Talhas_wine_at_Honrado_Vineyards.jpg" alt="Wine Folly’s Madeline Puckette tastes Talhas wine at Honrado Vineyards">
Wine Folly’s Madeline Puckette tastes Talhas wine at Honrado Vineyards</p>
<h2 id="talha-is-tradition-but-its-also-innovation">Talha Is Tradition, But It&#39;s Also Innovation</h2>
<p>In Granja-Amareleja, Wine Folly&#39;s co-founder, Madeline Puckette, met José Piteira, a winemaker with a tiny plot of old-vine ungrafted Moreto. He pours his latest vintage, made entirely in talha.</p>
<p>It&#39;s fresh, lifted, and shockingly lithe, especially considering these vines see more heat than Death Valley. &quot;After 15 years and tens of thousands of wines tasted… I&#39;ve never had a Moreto before. Honestly, I&#39;m impressed. Moreto is worth saving, hands down.&quot;</p>
<p>Meanwhile, at Herdade do Peso, one of Portugal&#39;s larger producers, tradition meets sustainability. In the face of rising alcohol levels, they did something radical: They reforested 40% of their vineyard estate.</p>
<p>The trees cool the land, reduce evaporation, and create microclimates. And it&#39;s working:</p>
<ul>
<li>In 2012: Wines bottled at 15.5% ABV</li>
<li>In 2023: Wines bottled at 13–13.5% ABV</li>
</ul>
<p>Sometimes, looking back is how you move forward.</p>
<h2 id="how-to-find-talha-wines">How To Find Talha Wines</h2>
<p>If you want to taste this ancient tradition, look for wines labeled &quot;Vinho de Talha DOC.&quot; These wines are often field blends of indigenous varieties, fermented in clay, and made by small-scale producers across Beja, especially near Vidigueira.</p>
<p>Talha wines don&#39;t taste like anything else. They&#39;re not fruity bombs. They&#39;re not buttery oaks. They&#39;re textural, soulful, and often a little funky. They speak softly, but carry centuries of wisdom.</p>
<p>In a world full of stainless steel and barrique, talhas are a reminder: Sometimes, the future of wine lies in the past.</p>


The Clay Revolution in Alentejo

<p>Texas Hill Country might just be the wine region you didn’t know you needed to know. Tucked away in central Texas, this <a href="https://texashillcountry.guides.winefolly.com/regions/">sprawling AVA</a> blends rugged charm with serious winemaking chops. With over 100 wineries (and counting), it’s a place where Southern hospitality meets a surprisingly sophisticated glass of wine.</p>
<p>Think bold Tempranillo, zesty Roussanne, and even some <a href="https://texashillcountry.guides.winefolly.com/wines/">experimental blends</a> that turn heads. Thanks to high elevation, intense sun, and cool nighttime temps, the wines here show unexpected finesse—ripe, but structured, with a real sense of place. Add in <a href="https://texashillcountry.guides.winefolly.com/terroir/">limestone-rich soils</a> and a crew of passionate, pioneering winemakers, and you’ve got a region that’s quietly rewriting the American wine story.</p>
<p>Curious? Dive into Wine Folly&#39;s <a href="https://texashillcountry.guides.winefolly.com">Texas Hill Country Region Guide</a> to understand why this wild, sun-soaked landscape is becoming one of the most exciting wine frontiers in the U.S.</p>


Guide to Texas Hill Country Wine

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

Wines Mentioned

Related Videos

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

The Clay Revolution in Alentejo

Guide to Texas Hill Country Wine

Join Our Newsletter