Lamoresca Nerocapitano Frappato NV

Filippo Rizzo and his wife Nancy met over a decade ago when Filippo owned and operated a small restaurant in Belgium. At that time, Filippo was among the first to talk about and serve natural wines anywhere outside of Paris. His family had ties to Sicily, and he was truly passionate about the preservation of the land and the importance of additive-free wine. After years in restaurants and retail, Filippo decided to get back to the land the best way he knew and became a winemaker.

With a scant 11-hectare farm, four of which are under vine, Filippo and Nancy have built the tiny Lamoresca estate from the ground up. While reviving his own olive groves and vines, Filippo spent several vintages with his comrade and fellow winemaker Frank Cornelissen, making wine high on the slopes of Mt. Etna. La Moresca is the only winery for roughly 50 square kilometers, and Filippo and his farmhand Gaetano work the land endlessly by hand.

Lamoresca is located in the southernmost corner of the province of Catania, between Etna and Gela on the southern coast, at ~450 meters above sea level. The area has deeply compressed sandstone soils mixed with calcium—and iron-rich clay. The old vines are a mixture of Nero d’Avola, grenache, and Nerocapitano (Frappato) for the reds and the extremely rare Vermentino Corso and some Roussanne for the white, all of which are worked without the aid of any chemical or pesticide.

The wines are naturally fermented without temperature control, and only minimal sulfur is used, and only if deemed necessary.

Italy's largest island and most extensive region, Sicily, is a treasure trove of natural wine wonders. Nestled across the Strait of Messina from the mainland, it boasts Palermo as its capital. This city is a melting pot of cultures, where Arab, Greek, Roman, and Spanish influences merge, not just in its mesmerizing architecture but also in its rich culinary heritage, including its thriving natural wine scene.

The island's history is as complex as it is captivating, mirrored in its diverse cultural tapestry. This complexity extends to its viticulture. Sicily ranked as Italy's third largest wine-producing region after Veneto and Tuscany, has seen a remarkable evolution in wine quality over the last three decades.

While international grape varieties like Chardonnay and Syrah are making their mark, the indigenous varietals - Nero d'Avola, Catarratto, Grillo, and Inzolia - truly define Sicilian natural winemaking. These native grapes, thriving in Sicily's unique terroir, give life to natural wines as vibrant and varied as the island.