La Segreta
il Rosso

Sicilia D.O.C.

50% Nero d’Avola
25% Merlot
20% Syrah
5% Cabernet Franc
La Segreta</br> il Rosso

La Segreta takes its name from the woods which surround our Ulmo vineyard. This young fresh wine principally produced from Nero d’Avola grapes, flagship of Sicilian wine, gains its personality and style with the addition of some international grapes. All the vines are knowledgeably cultivated in vineyards owned by Planeta. La Segreta is a versatile companion for daily drinking, suitable for many different occasions. It is a perfect approach to Sicilian wine with its excellent relationship between price and quality, guaranteed by Planeta’s careful input from vine to wine.

Our Ambassadors say

Aromatic, juicy red, with bright aromas.
Marc Taub, Kristin Blizzard, Matthew Gallery and Desiree Napolitano Leja, Palm Bay - Planeta Ambassadors in USA
Marc Taub, Kristin Blizzard, Matthew Gallery and Desiree Napolitano Leja
Fun and happy wine.
Thierry Cohen and Kazumi Teraoka, JET - Planeta Ambassadors in Japan
Thierry Cohen and Kazumi Teraoka
Easy going red wine, great for white wine drinkers.
Giovanni Cardullo, GioWine - Planeta Ambassador in South America
Giovanni Cardullo
Piacevole e immediato.
Antonio Stopper, Stoppervini - Planeta Ambassador in Germany, Austria, Switzerland
Antonio Stopper
Il vino perfetto per ogni giorno, con nobile aroma.
Ilya Shapiro, Arsenal - Planeta Ambassador in Russia
Ilya Shapiro
Classic refreshing Italian wine.
Jacques Lessard, La Celeste Levure - Planeta Ambassador in Canada
Jacques Lessard
Giovane e gioioso con un'ottima beva.
Eberhard Spangenberg, Garibaldi - Planeta Ambassador in Germany
Eberhard Spangenberg
Fruity and easy-going! Perfect match for almost every occasion.
Wolf Steppat and Nils Citron, Weinundglas - Planeta Ambassador in Germany
Wolf Steppat and Nils Citron
Territory
Altimetry
40-4300 m
slm
Clime
21°
average temperature
Density
4.500
vines per hectare
Farming system
Guyot
First Vintage
1995
Time of Harvest
30 August
Alcohol Content
13% vol.
Vinification
Destalking followed by 7-14 days lying on the skins at a temperature of 25⁰C, after racking maturation in stainless steel

Tasting Notes

An intensely vivid ruby colour.

Vintages

A particularly cool harvest, better for red wines than white.

Harvest with dual results after a particularly cool August and wet September; excellent early varieties but less so the later ones.

Hot August and cool September with some rain following a winter with sparse rain.

Cycle of warm harvests begins with hot dry conditions throughout.

A vintage characterised by winter and spring with little rain, very hot August and cool dry September. Whites hot and reds tannic.

Almost perfect vintage for whites with ideally bright hot July and August. Well concentrated reds with hot clear tannin.

The cooler summer (as in 2004) provided varietal reds with dense soft tannin.

Slightly more rain than usual invigorated some of the harvest, resulting in reds with colour and body.

Slightly more rain than usual invigorated some of the harvest, resulting in reds with colour and body.

A cold wet winter and spring perfectly prepared the grapes for harvesting which began 15 days late in cool moderate conditions.

Abundant spring and winter rain perfectly prepared the vineyards for summer and autumn ripening. The surprisingly fresh and cool temperatures of July, August and September achieved the rest, with the grapes arriving at the winery in perfect condition.

The grapes are sound, the yield generally about 10% down, though 20% lower for Merlot, Nero d'Avola and Frappato.This vintage can be described as luminous and sunny. All the sun-loving varieties such as Syrah and Nero d'Avola are of extraordinary richness. The whites are rich, creamy, and well-defined by type of grape.

After two short but intense heatwaves, typical for the period from 20th July to 15th August, it stayed fine, temperatures stabilized, and persistent high pressure presented us with a vintage with no rainfall the first slight shower arrived on 25th September! and with amazing maturation. Forthose who enjoy comparisons, in our reckoning the recent years most similar to 2007, in Sicily, are 1997 and 2001.

Therefore, grapes had a fresh and dry climate all the way to the harvesting, without any excessive heat, but with ideal temperatures for ripening. grapes were absolutely wholesome, and did not need to undergo any phytosanitary defence interventions. The result was a superb vintage, the indigenous varieties are absolutely excellent. Syrah is just perfect: a dry and luminous vintage provided us with a superior quality. The other French varieties are intense and varietal; the Nero d'Avola, the part of La Segreta Rosso blend, is at its top.

Temperatures have increased markedly since August 20, while maintaining the proper level of humidity and avoiding dehydration and concentration of the fruit. Harvesting grecanico ended the last days of September.

The climatic conditions prevailing during the 2010 harvest were particularly favourable. In 2009 the autumn finished with abundant rainfall, ideal for setting the vines to rest. The winter had normal temperatures and not too much rain. The spring was also average, with rain at the end. The summer began with cooler temperatures until the middle of August, when the temperature then rose to assist perfect ripening. Around 20th September rain assisted the harvest at Vittoria. On the other hand the beginning of summer on Etna was fairly dry but the rains at the end of September were useful and prolonged the harvest until 21st October. Might 2010 be one of the best vintages out of the previous ten? It is early to say but it is certainly a super vintag.

But then in the spring the situation changed; copious rain fell even relatively late in the season and prepared the vineyards to perfection. The summer was hot without being excessively so, and the grapes were able to ripen without a flaw.

The harvest here registered a sharp drop in production of the early varieties such as Chardonnay and Viognier, an amazing quality especially for Nero d'Avola and Syrah as well as Cabernet Franc, which are rich and varietal with an excellent tannic structure. The harvest was completed with the harvest of Grecanico, a variety that prefers drier weather. For this reason, the grapes are fully intact thanks to a climate free of moisture.

Beautiful white wines, produced by a cool and bright July and August. A richer Chardonnay without more alcohol. A super-aromatic Fiano and average Grecanico. The reds, Merlot and Cabernet, benefitted from a cooler harvest with a thick dense tannin structure, thanks to extended ripening. Syrah prefers a dry September and is rather less than excellent. Nero d’Avola is fresh and fruity as rarely before.

A great vintage for two perfectly combined reasons: a rainier spring than the average for the past ten years, especially in June, and therefore vines that face the summer stress-free, and a rain-free period of ripening of the grapes with July, August and September completely dry. To say the least, these are the ideal temperatures and quantity of light, with July cooler since 2004; on the contrary, the brightest September (since 2007) and, to best complete the ripening of the reds, the absolute hottest of the series analyzed. The perfect vintage!

A year which enhanced the indigenous varieties, particularly Grecanico, very aromatic, and a glorious Nero d’Avola with fruit, density and compact tannins as never before. Fiano is good, Chardonnay more consistent. Merlot and Syrah at their peak, thanks to the weather. The Cabernet is perhaps slightly rigid.

At Menfi in the south-west had little rainfall and temperatures slightly colder than 2015, followed by a beautiful spring with rain in March and showers generally, which prepared the vines well. The cooler summer with average temperatures between June and September being well below those of 2015 contributed to a fine harvest. The result has been aromatic and balanced white wines with Chardonnay, Grecanico and Grillo peaking in quality, and the big French reds with particularly dense and ample tannins thanks to long slow ripening. Nero d’Avola in particular, thanks also to the lower production, is very aromatic and colourful.

Awards

  • 2014

    – Wine Spectator: 86

  • 2013

    – James Suckling: 89
    – Wine Spectator: 86

  • 2012

    – Wine Spectator: 87

  • 2011

    – James Suckling: 90
    – Wine Enthusiast: 87
    – International wine Challenge: Commended

  • 2010

    – Wine Enthusiast: 87

  • 2009

    – Vinous: 89
    – Wine Enthusiast: 87
    – Wine Spectator: 87

  • 2008

    – Wine Advocate Robert Parker: 87
    – Vinous: 87
    – Jancis Robinson: 15,5
    – International wine Challenge: Bronze

  • 2007

    – Decanter World Wine Awards: Commended
    – International wine Challenge: Bronze
    – Wine Enthusiast: 87

  • 2006

    – Wine Enthusiast: 88
    – Wine Spectator: 88

  • 2005

    – Wine Enthusiast: 88
    – Wine Spectator: 87
    – Decanter: Bronze

  • 2004

    – Decanter: Commended

  • 2003

    – Wine Enthusiast: 87
    – Wine Spectator: 87
    – Decanter: Silver

  • 2002

    – Vinous: 88
    – Wine Enthusiast: 88
    – Wine Spectator: 87

  • 2001

    – Wine Spectator: 87

  • 2000

    – Wine Enthusiast: 88
    – Wine Advocate Robert Parker: 87
    – Vinous: 87

  • 2015

    – Japan Wine Challenge 2017: Argento

Eggplants in sweet and sour sauce

Eggplants in sweet and sour sauce

INGREDIENTS
Serves 4
2 kg / 4 lb. 4 oz. eggplant
200 g / 7 oz. onion, chopped coarsely
150 g / 5 1/2 oz. tomato paste
200 g / 7 oz. celery, chopped
100 g / 3 1/2 oz. capers, rinsed and drained
200 g / 7 oz. pitted
green olives
50 ml / 1 3/4 fl. oz. red wine vinegar
50 g / 1 3/4 oz. toasted almonds
50 g / 1 3/4 oz. granulated sugar mint leaves
10 ml / 1/4 fl. oz. extravirgin olive oil
olive oil for frying
sea salt
salt to taste
pepper to taste
DIFFICULTY 3/5 | PREPARATION TIME 1 hour
Wash the eggplants, cut them into 1-½-cm (¾-inch) cubes, sprinkle with sea salt, then place in a colander for about 30 minutes. Rinse and dry the eggplants, then fry them in a generous amount of olive oil. Wash the celery, remove any tough strings and chop. Bring a pot of unsalted water to boil and blanch the celery for 2 minutes; then add half the olives and the capers. After 4–5 minutes, pour the vegetables into a colander and drain. Heat some oil in a pan. Let the onion soften over low heat, but don’t let it brown. Add the chopped celery, the capers, the blanched olives, a pinch of pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir. Increase the heat. In the middle of the pan, make a well and pour in the sugar. Let the sugar dissolve, then add the vinegar and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour the condiment over the eggplant. Do not stir the mixture until cool. Sprinkle with crushed toasted almonds and mint leaves.

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