Tanca Nica - Soki Soki 2020

Region: Pantelleria / Sicily

Grapes: Zibibbo

Serious skin contact wine from Tanca Nica. This is fragrant, almost medicinal, with moreish Mediterranean herbs, a perfect balance of texture and tension, and a lengthy salivating finish. A classy wine with high drinkability. Highly recommended. 

NERD NOTES

Different plots of Zibibbo bush vines (alberello Pantesco) from different contradas, with various altitudes and expositions. Grown mostly on pumice-heavy 'soki soki' soils (see Producer profile), the parcels were vinified separately undergoing different lengths of maceration – from one night to a week – based on ripeness and aromatics of the skins.

Low yields in 2020 brought concentration, intensity, and balance. Aged on fine lees in 6yo barrels and stainless steel, and bottled with the addition of 15% 'riserva perpetua' started in 2017. Very low SO2

THE PRODUCER

The Italian island of Pantelleria sits between Sicily and Africa in the Mediterranean. Tanca Nica was founded by Sardinian Nicoletta Pecorelli and Pantellerian Francesco Ferrero. Tanca in Pantesco dialect is a small hilly land arranged in terraces in which the vines grow, while Nica is the name of the place where the thermal waters emerge from the seabed and mix with the Mediterranean blue.

The island is a mix of varied volcanic soils made up of pumice (soki soki) and fragments of volcanic eruptions (lapilli), createing a mineral rich terroir from which wines of great personality are made.

They Biodynamically farm 2 hectares of parcel specific expressions of Zibibbo, also known Moscato d’Alessandria, Pignatello, which in Pantelleria is called Nivuro Nostrale, or "black of the place", and finally Catarratto. The tiny production is just 4000 bottles a year.

They employ several techniques based on ancient methods to solve two of the main challenges of viticulture on the island, namely strong winds and water scarcity. With the inventive solution of Alberello Pantesco, they plant low density bush vines in a dug out hollow called a “conca”. This provides protection from the wind while collecting scarce water in the winter. (Similar to places like the Lanzarote and Samos.)

Other vines are planted with a classic system of small Pantelleria saplings in-between alternating rows of green beans and wheat to protect the vines from strong winds. They also plant a small number of vines against terraced walls which provide sun exposure and again protect from intense winds.

In the cantina, grapes are de-stemmed by hand, with the aid of a net, and pressed by foot, fermentation is spontaneous with only indigenous yeasts and without fining and filtration. The use of added sulphur is vintage & Cuvee specified.