Poggio Anima 'Uriel' Grillo Sicilia DOC 2023

Uriel, the archangel of repentance. Uriel played a very important role in ancient texts as the rescuer of Jesus' cousin John the Baptist from the Massacre of the Innocents ordered by King Herod. The translation of Uriel is ‘God of Light.’ Uriel was the angel who checked each of the doors during the Passover in order to ensure safety for God’s people. Grillo is a very resilient grape and one that withstands a lot of heat and wind on Sicily. It is probably best known as the foundation for Marsala but in its ‘dry’ form has many interesting characteristics. It is the most important white grape on Sicily and therefore the ‘principal light.’

The Grillo vineyard is located in Western Sicily, in the area of Chirchiaro, between Salemi and Vita, roughly 25 miles from Marsala. The grapes are planted east facing following the vertical trellis system on sandy and clay rich soil, using guyot pruning. At an altitude of around 1,600 feet above sea level and with a proximity to the sea there is a definitive freshness to the wine. After de-stemming and skin maceration for a few hours, the grapes are subject to soft-press before fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks. The wine is then left on its lees for a few months before being bottled.