Zisola Contrada Bianco featured image
Zisola Contrada Bianco 2023
Vintage
2022
Region
Sicily
Country
Italy
Style
Still
Grape Varieties
Catarratto
ABV
12.5%
Dietary
Vegan, Vegetarian
Sustainability
Organic Viticulture
Zisola
Zisola is a Sicilian wine estate near Noto, in South-East Sicily, owned by the Mazzei family and focused on Nero d’Avola, Grillo, Catarratto and other Mediterranean varieties. Purchased in 2003, the estate extends the Mazzei family’s long winemaking experience from Tuscany to the island birthplace of Nero d’Avola. With traditional alberello-trained vineyards, limestone-rich soils and cooling breezes from the Ionian Sea, Zisola produces Sicilian wine with ripe fruit, freshness, elegance and clear regional identity. Zisola offers a refined expression of Italian island wine from one of Sicily’s most distinctive areas.
Read MoreViticulture
Zisola Contrada Bianco 2023 comes from vineyards at 130 metres above sea level, with south-east exposure. The soils are medium-textured, calcareous and mineral, supporting structure, freshness and a defined mineral profile. Vines are trained as head-pruned bush vines and planted at a density of 5,550 vines per hectare. The estate?s position between the Hyblean Mountains and the sea provides beneficial air currents, helping reduce leaf wetting and supporting healthy, even ripening.
Vinification
The grapes were hand-picked on 5 and 13 September. The wine was vinified using two complementary approaches: 50% underwent skin contact in cocciopesto amphora for three months, while the remaining 50% followed a classic white wine vinification with sur lie ageing. This combination builds texture, aromatic complexity and mineral depth, while preserving freshness and precision. The result is a structured, dry Sicilian white wine with both depth and clarity.
2022
The 2023 vintage began with slightly above-average temperatures in December and January, followed by cold, wet conditions in February. Spring brought frequent rainfall, especially in May, creating strong water reserves and steady bunch growth. Two summer heatwaves exceeded 40?C, delaying veraison, before cooler weather and unusual September rainfall helped restore balance. These conditions supported excellent phenolic and aromatic ripening, with a modest reduction in yield. Harvest concluded on 30 September 2023.
Tasting Note
Contrada Bianco 2023 shows aromas of white peach, crunchy apple, saffron and candied orange peel. The palate is dry and crisp, with medium body, vivid acidity and a precise mineral frame. Skin contact and lees work add texture and depth without masking freshness. The finish is steely, mineral and persistent, giving the wine a gastronomic profile suited to seafood, vegetables and refined Mediterranean dishes.
Food Pairing
Pair with grilled sea bass, roasted fennel, seafood risotto, saffron pasta, shellfish, octopus salad, chicken with preserved lemon, hard sheep?s cheese or vegetable antipasti.
Bottle Shots - Zisola Contrada Bianco 2023
