This is a very fruit-forward syrah with crushed blackberry and raspberry and hints of cloves. Medium body with firm, fine tannins and a spicy, lightly meaty aftertaste. Drink or hold.
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Just outside the bustling epicenter of Palermo in Northwest Sicily lies the Alto Belice - a fascinating landscape and cultural crossroads. It’s here that the Monte Jato archaeological park preserves important structures dating back to the Magna Graecia settlements. The nearby town of Monreale is among the most evocative towns of the island and is famous for its magnificent medieval cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s also here that the Sallier de La Tour winery and estate has been located for over a century.
The Estate has belonged to the Sallier de La Tour family, Princes of Camporeale, since the mid-nineteenth century. Originally from the Piedmont region of Italy, the family moved to Sicily in the 18th century. They built the winery—La Monaca—in 1909, its name inspired by the highest hill found on the property, which is located just behind the Estate. In the 1940s, Paolo Sallier de La Tour increased the family’s interest in viticulture with a particular focus on native varietals Nero d’Avola and Inzolia. In 1956, Paolo Sallier de La Tour married Costanza Tasca d’Almerita, joining the two noble families together.
While viticulture had been a function of the estate for many years, Filiberto Sallier de La Tour, Paolo’s son, started experimenting with other varietals, most notably Syrah, which had been cultivated in the region for decades. During this time, Filiberto also began making the first estate wines under the family’s name, releasing the first commercially produced bottles labelled Sallier de La Tour in the early 2000s. In 2008, Filiberto approached his cousin, Alberto Tasca, with the idea of joining Sallier de la Tour with the renowned Tasca d’Almerita family of wineries. Having long been impressed with his cousin’s passion and the family’s deep ties to their land, Alberto agreed, and the two families started a new chapter in the estate’s history.
Today, the Estate is managed by Costanza Chirivino, a member of the Sallier de La Tour family, with the support of the Tasca d’Almerita team. Costanza's energy and enthusiasm for her family's legacy is infectious, as is her knowledge of and affinity for the region. In addition to managing the commercial aspects of the Estate, Alberto Tasca also included the Sallier de La Tour in the company’s sustainable initiatives. This enables and ensures that the entire property is managed according to the tenants of SOStain, a sustainability program that requires third-party certification of the estate’s impact on air, water, soil, and surrounding territory, as well as environmental, economic, and social sustainability.
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LOCATIONWINERY: Alto Belice, province of Palermo, Sicily VINEYARD: Area of Monreale VIEW IN GOOGLE MAPS REGION DETAILS |
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94
OCTOBER 2021
Sallier de La Tour "La Monaca" Syrah Monreale DOC 2018
This is a very fruit-forward syrah with crushed blackberry and raspberry and hints of cloves. Medium body with firm, fine tannins and a spicy, lightly meaty aftertaste. Drink or hold. 91
JULY 2022
Sallier de La Tour "Madamarosè" Rosato Sicilia DOC 2021
Pomegranate and peach aromas and flavors. It's a fuller rosé with lots of fruit and flavor. Peach and melon with some orange-peel undertones. Slightly oily. Drink now. 92
SEPTEMBER 2023
Sallier de La Tour Syrah Sicilia DOC 2021
The 2021 Syrah is youthfully restrained, slowly opening with coaxing to reveal peppery herbs, florals, dried black cherries and camphor. It's surprisingly juicy and zesty on the palate. Vibrant acidity propels its crisp wild berry fruits as balsam herbs and hints of sour citrus add further contrast throughout. This tapers off with tension and structure, yet its tannins are sweet and rounded. Licorice hints and a cranberry concentration slowly fade. The 2021 possesses a more immediate feel than previous vintages yet also has the balance for medium-term cellaring. 89
JUNE 2022
Sallier de La Tour Inzolia Sicilia DOC 2021
The 2021 Inzolia is sweetly scented but also finessed and floral, with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar and spice that gives way to ripe pear and hints of cardamom. This rushes the palate with soft textures, yet quickly takes on a reverberation of spicy green citrus, as nuances of tropical melon form toward the close. A salty flourish defines the finale, as the 2021 tapers off wickedly fresh and squeaky-clean, while leaving the mouth watering for more. 90
JULY 2022
Sallier de La Tour Inzolia Sicilia DOC 2021
This has aromas of waxed lemons, jasmine, white tea and apricot stones. Light to medium body with bright acidity and a waxy, lemony palate. Crisp and very fresh. Drink now. 89
JUNE 2022
Sallier de La Tour Nero d'Avola Sicilia DOC 2020
The 2020 Nero d'Avola is both classically floral and finessed, but with intense depths of dark red berries and exotic spices that keep me coming back to the glass. Its textures are silky, with violet-laced wild berries and mineral tones that create a savory expression toward the close. This leaves a coating of grippy tannins and hints of sour citrus while tapering off with persistence. If checking in today, make sure to enjoy the 2020 alongside a meal. That said, I expect a year of cellaring should add some softer contours. 91
APRIL 2022
Sallier de La Tour "Madamarosè" Rosato Sicilia DOC 2021
The 2021 Rosato Madamarosè is pungently spicy yet fresh, showing wild strawberries offset by mint leaf and crushed rocks. It’s silky in feel with a wonderful contrast of sour citrus and zesty acids against ripe orchard fruits. This lingers long, leaving the palate stained in concentration, as a salty flourish slowly fades. This 100% Syrah Rosato from Sicily keeps the energy high, and me, coming back to the glass for more. 93
JUNE 2022
Sallier de La Tour "La Monaca" Syrah Monreale DOC 2019
The 2019 Syrah La Monaca is dark and intense, with crushed black and hints of blue berries complemented by balsamic spices and hints of cocoa, yet it gains lift through a wave of mentholated herbs. This is silky and refined with medium-bodied weight, casting mineral-tinged black fruits and nuances of mocha and licorice across a core of brisk acidity that does a fantastic job of maintaining balance. The 2019 La Monaca finishes long and potent with sweet tannins that frame the expression well, as violet-tinged inner florals slowly fade. Another year or two of cellaring is recommended to help tame this sexy Sicilian Syrah. |