Mazzei Zisola Doppiozeta Noto Rosso DOC

Description

Mazzei Zisola Doppiozeta is a red wine from the Noto Rosso Denominazione Di Origine Controllata of Sicily. It is the flagship wine of the Zisola Wine Estate, which is located approximately 1km from the town of Noto in South East Sicily.

Zisola Wines by Mazzei Family Wines

Zisola Wines is owned by Mazzei Family Wines, who are probably more famous for their Tuscan wines, including their Chianti wines from Castello di Fonterutoli. The company purchased the estate in 2003 and has invested a significant amount of money in bringing this Sicilian wine estate up to its high standards. The Zisola winery is equipped with temperature-controlled stainless steel vats with a total capacity of 1,000 hectoliters for fermentation, and 350 French oak barriques for ageing.

Zisola Vineyards

The estate consists of some 50 hectares with around 24 hectares of vineyards – the rest is set aside for growing olives, citrus fruit and almonds. The vineyards are located at a height of 130 above sea level and are characterised by medium-textured soils, strongly calcareous with a rich backbone. The vineyards are planted with Nero d’Avola, Syrah and Petit Verdot for the red wines and Grillo and Catarratto for the white wines.

Vines Planted “Alberello”

The vines are planted using the “alberello” method, a free-standing bush vine system commonly used in southern Italy and the islands. The vines are kept small and untrellised, which suits the poor soils and low rainfall of the region.

A combination of long warm summers, which enable the grapes to ripen fully, combined with cooling sea breezes, allows aromatics to develop, ensuring that healthy and fully ripened grapes are grown. Nero d’Avola tolerates the hot and dry climates well.

Zisola Doppiozeta Winemaking

• Grapes are sourced from the three best single estate parcels – Piscina, Sopra Navel and Mandorleto.
• Zisola Doppiozeta undergoes temperature-controlled fermentation at 28–30°C.
• The 2015 is 100% Nero d’Avola.
• It is aged for 16 months in 225-litre French oak barriques, 50% of which are new.
• Production is 13,000 bottles.

Why is it called Zisola Doppiozeta?

Doppiazeta translates as “double z” and is taken from the Mazzei family name.