Today’s spotlight is on Sallier de La Tour, a Sicilian winery located in Monreale, not far from the bustling capital city of Palermo.

You may not have heard of Monreale unless you’ve visited the town’s Cathedral, a masterpiece of Norman architecture and one of Sicily’s most visited tourist sites. The Monreale DOC winemaking area lies on the town's outskirts and comprises only eight wineries, including the historic Sallier de La Tour, founded over a century ago.

Monreale’s warm, sunny climate, steep rolling hills, and large flat areas of clay, sand, and silt alluvial deposits make the area well-suited for growing wine grapes.

Unsurprisingly, native grapes, such as red Nero d'Avola and white Inzolia, thrive here, producing fruity wines of great freshness and acidity despite the hot climate. However, there is also a non-indigenous grape, Syrah, that has proven to make spectacular wines in this area too. After experimenting with different biotypes of this grape of French origin, Sallier de La Tour has become well-known for its lush, concentrated, and mouthwateringly fresh Syrah-based red wines.

The Sallier de La Tour estate is part of the highly regarded Tasca d’Almerita, a wine producer with a history of quality winemaking and whose portfolio spans the highly-acclaimed Regaleali, Capofaro, Tascante, and Whitaker estates. I recently tasted a lineup of Sallier de La Tour wines (sent as samples) that are available in the U.S., one white, one rosé, and three reds. They ran the gamut from light and fruity to weighty and deeply complex. Over a few days, I enjoyed them with all kinds of food, including Scallop Crudo With a Citrusy Ginger Mint Dressing paired with the winery’s Inzolia Sicilia DOC white wine.

Below are my impressions of these noteworthy, excellent-value Sicilian wines.

Note: Sicilia DOC is the appellation that covers all of Sicily. While there are 23 other, more localized DOCs and 1 DOCG on the island, Sicilia DOC provides overall brand recognition for consumers of Sicilian wine, a regioin with a long viticultural history, diverse grape varieties and wine styles, and wide use of organic farming methods. The Consortium For Tutela Vini Sicilia DOC protects, promotes, and enhances Sicilia DOC wine, while raising quality, preserving winemaking heritage, and increasing consumer and trade education.

Sallier de La Tour 2021 Inzolia Sicilia DOC (SRP $16). Inzolia is one of Sicily’s native white grape varieties. Historically, it has been a main grape in Sicily’s famous Marsala wine, but nowadays, it makes delightfully dry, crisp, and fruity wines as well. Try it with the above scallop dish.

Tasting notes. On the nose, peach, melon, citrus, white flowers. Crisp, fresh, and bright on the palate, with hints of honey, clay, and stone; fruity with a slight salinity. Pairs well with anything from the sea.

Sallier de La Tour 2020 Nero d'Avola Sicilia DOC (SRP $16). Nero d’Avola, native to Sicily, is the island’s signature red grape. It makes bold, ruby red, fruit-forward wines with intense cherry and red berry flavors.

Tasting notes. Aromas of fresh red cherries, earth, chalk, and hints of cigar box. On the palate, medium-bodied, medium-low tannins, lively acidity; juicy, fruity, and savory with notes of red fruit, balsamic, and flowers. Elegant and polished, less powerful and more refined than most Nero d’Avola I’ve tasted.

Sallier de La Tour Madamarosé Syrah Sicilia DOC (SRP $14). This impressive rosé (two words I rarely say together!) is made from 100% Syrah, a grape that thrives in this part of Sicily and produces wines that show Sicily’s amazing terroir in its best light.

Tasting notes. Pinkish orange hued, with a deep, red berry fruitiness, minerality, and hints of earthiness. Complex, rich and substantial—not only for summer drinking—can be paired all year long with pasta, cheeses, grilled chicken, and Asian food.

Sallier de La Tour 2020 Syrah Sicilia DOC (SRP $16). Sicilian Syrah makes dark-colored, fruit-forward red wines with fresh acidity and fragrant, ripe fruit aromas.

Tasting notes. On the nose, dark fruits: black cherry, blackberry, black plums. On the palate, bold tannins, deep fruit, eucalyptus, black pepper, and meat and olives (typical for Syrah). Big, juicy, and full of flavor, it would be delicious with barbecue or rich meaty stews.

Sallier de La Tour 2019 La Monaca Monreale DOC (SRP $35). This award-winning wine comes from special biotypes of Syrah that have adapted well to Sallier de La Tour’s soils.

Tasting notes. Fruity and juicy (dark cherry, blueberry, blackberry), with herbal notes (thyme, eucalyptus, and mint), baking spices, hints of cocoa, and vanilla; with hints of spice and black pepper. Medium-plus tannins, good balance, and structure. A refined and restrained Syrah reminiscent of classic northern Rhône reds. Delicious with grilled meats. Outstanding!