Friday, August 7, 2026 red wine review is this excellent, organic Frappato from the Sicilia Vittoria DOC in Sicily that arrived at the LCBO after a one-year absence. It was featured as part of the thematic on wines from Italy's islands of Sicily (and Sardinia) in last weekend's LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.
It is produced by Planeta, a family-owned winery that ranks among Sicily's most respected and influential wine producers. Over the course of more than 500 years and 17 generations, the Planeta family has established deep roots on the island, playing an important role in the agricultural evolution of Sicily's diverse and complex landscapes.
The approach at Planeta leans towards openness and innovation, with the family's most recent history beginning in the early 1900s when Grandfather Vito transformed the small, family winery in Menfi, in western Sicily, into a thriving co-operative in a remarkably short period, laying the foundation for future growth and new opportunities. Today, Planeta operates six estates across Sicily, each chosen to express the unique character of its respective terroir.
The family's journey to Vittoria began in the late 1990s with the restoration of the historic Dorilli estate, centred around a grand country house on land long associated with the Planeta family. The first vineyards were planted in 1997, and the estate has since become the family's home for producing wines from Vittoria's distinctive red sandy soils. Rich in history and agricultural tradition, Vittoria has long held a special place in the family's story—so much so that earlier generations debated whether Vittoria or Menfi was the better place to cultivate vines.
Today, Planeta is led by two generations of the family—brothers and sisters, along with their children, nieces, and nephews—who share a common vision rooted in collaboration, respect for the land, and environmental stewardship. Their commitment to sustainable viticulture and thoughtful winemaking has earned Planeta an international reputation for producing wines that faithfully express the remarkable diversity of Sicily's terroirs.
I was first introduced to this wine five years ago with the 2018 Planeta Frappato, and it has been a consistently recommended buy ever since. Frappato is a rare variety planted mainly in Sicily and has a close genetic relationship to Sangiovese. There are only approximately 1,000 hectares of vines planted to Frappato, with Planeta cultivating theirs according to sustainable and organic standards in the red sands of Vittoria, where it reaches its ultimate expression, not far from the sea.
First crafted in the 2013 vintage, this red wine is crafted with 100% Frappato that was grown at Planeta's Mogli vineyard in the district of Acate in southeastern Sicily. The vineyard is situated at 70 metres above sea level and planted on sandy textured soils that are the main characteristics of the Vittoria area. Furthermore, the soil consists mainly of loose red sands with a structure of small dimension, moderately deep, and a layer of tufa that lies at about 90 cm, which crucially helps with water capacity and balancing of the water in the plants.
To vinify this wine, the grapes were hand-harvested and transported to the winery in small trolleys, after which they were destalked and pressed, then transferred into 114 hL and 150 hL stainless steel tanks. The grapes were stirred three times a day with very short pump overs of 10–20 minutes according to the phase of fermentation, as well as to protect the skins and fruit as much as possible. It was cool-fermented at the beginning, then raised to about 24°C to allow the final alcohol level to develop. After completing fermentation, the skins remain in contact with the wine for 10–13 days, then racked off. Malolactic fermentation was completed, followed by maturation, all in the same stainless steel tanks.
While the 2024 vintage in Sicily was characterized by a drop in yields, drought, high temperatures, and an early harvest, quality did not suffer as good ripeness levels were attained. It is considered to be a good to excellent vintage with exceptionally healthy fruit that produced balanced wines. In the Vittoria area of southeastern Sicily, the vintage is considered to be excellent as Frappato is suited to areas with low rainfall, along with the significant diurnal temperatures between night and day and cooling sea breezes. Let's see how this 2024 Frappato from Vittoria in Sicily is tasting tonight...
100% Frappato and certified organic, this has a fresh, fragrant, and medium-high+ intensity nose offering attractive dark red berried cran-cherry, strawberry, and red plum aromas mingling with fine spices, peppercorn, earth, mineral, plus a hint of blood orange adding further complexity. It's light-to-medium bodied on the dry palate with lovely cran-cherry, red berry, strawberry, red plum, savoury earth, and dried spice flavours. Some bitter notes appear on the mid-palate, while acids are crisp and fresh. Present and well-structured tannins offer a somewhat chalky textured mouthfeel. It's well-balanced with dark red cherry and spice notes tapering to earth and minerals on the long, savoury finish. Should drink nicely over the coming 5-6 years and is a highly recommended buy! Score: 91+ pts
Several wines by Planeta are available at the LCBO, while the full range can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.
It is produced by Planeta, a family-owned winery that ranks among Sicily's most respected and influential wine producers. Over the course of more than 500 years and 17 generations, the Planeta family has established deep roots on the island, playing an important role in the agricultural evolution of Sicily's diverse and complex landscapes.
The approach at Planeta leans towards openness and innovation, with the family's most recent history beginning in the early 1900s when Grandfather Vito transformed the small, family winery in Menfi, in western Sicily, into a thriving co-operative in a remarkably short period, laying the foundation for future growth and new opportunities. Today, Planeta operates six estates across Sicily, each chosen to express the unique character of its respective terroir.
The family's journey to Vittoria began in the late 1990s with the restoration of the historic Dorilli estate, centred around a grand country house on land long associated with the Planeta family. The first vineyards were planted in 1997, and the estate has since become the family's home for producing wines from Vittoria's distinctive red sandy soils. Rich in history and agricultural tradition, Vittoria has long held a special place in the family's story—so much so that earlier generations debated whether Vittoria or Menfi was the better place to cultivate vines.
Today, Planeta is led by two generations of the family—brothers and sisters, along with their children, nieces, and nephews—who share a common vision rooted in collaboration, respect for the land, and environmental stewardship. Their commitment to sustainable viticulture and thoughtful winemaking has earned Planeta an international reputation for producing wines that faithfully express the remarkable diversity of Sicily's terroirs.
I was first introduced to this wine five years ago with the 2018 Planeta Frappato, and it has been a consistently recommended buy ever since. Frappato is a rare variety planted mainly in Sicily and has a close genetic relationship to Sangiovese. There are only approximately 1,000 hectares of vines planted to Frappato, with Planeta cultivating theirs according to sustainable and organic standards in the red sands of Vittoria, where it reaches its ultimate expression, not far from the sea.
First crafted in the 2013 vintage, this red wine is crafted with 100% Frappato that was grown at Planeta's Mogli vineyard in the district of Acate in southeastern Sicily. The vineyard is situated at 70 metres above sea level and planted on sandy textured soils that are the main characteristics of the Vittoria area. Furthermore, the soil consists mainly of loose red sands with a structure of small dimension, moderately deep, and a layer of tufa that lies at about 90 cm, which crucially helps with water capacity and balancing of the water in the plants.
To vinify this wine, the grapes were hand-harvested and transported to the winery in small trolleys, after which they were destalked and pressed, then transferred into 114 hL and 150 hL stainless steel tanks. The grapes were stirred three times a day with very short pump overs of 10–20 minutes according to the phase of fermentation, as well as to protect the skins and fruit as much as possible. It was cool-fermented at the beginning, then raised to about 24°C to allow the final alcohol level to develop. After completing fermentation, the skins remain in contact with the wine for 10–13 days, then racked off. Malolactic fermentation was completed, followed by maturation, all in the same stainless steel tanks.
While the 2024 vintage in Sicily was characterized by a drop in yields, drought, high temperatures, and an early harvest, quality did not suffer as good ripeness levels were attained. It is considered to be a good to excellent vintage with exceptionally healthy fruit that produced balanced wines. In the Vittoria area of southeastern Sicily, the vintage is considered to be excellent as Frappato is suited to areas with low rainfall, along with the significant diurnal temperatures between night and day and cooling sea breezes. Let's see how this 2024 Frappato from Vittoria in Sicily is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
PLANETA FRAPPATO 2024 - DOC Sicilia Vittoria, Italy (#508655) (XD) - $23.95100% Frappato and certified organic, this has a fresh, fragrant, and medium-high+ intensity nose offering attractive dark red berried cran-cherry, strawberry, and red plum aromas mingling with fine spices, peppercorn, earth, mineral, plus a hint of blood orange adding further complexity. It's light-to-medium bodied on the dry palate with lovely cran-cherry, red berry, strawberry, red plum, savoury earth, and dried spice flavours. Some bitter notes appear on the mid-palate, while acids are crisp and fresh. Present and well-structured tannins offer a somewhat chalky textured mouthfeel. It's well-balanced with dark red cherry and spice notes tapering to earth and minerals on the long, savoury finish. Should drink nicely over the coming 5-6 years and is a highly recommended buy! Score: 91+ pts
Several wines by Planeta are available at the LCBO, while the full range can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.
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