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Longarico

Insolito Syrah 2018

Price: $30.95
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Tasting notes

Insolito straddles two grape worlds: Syrah's dark-fruited spice and pepper anchors the wine, while Nerello Mascalese adds a bright, tart edge and keeps the whole thing lively. Six months in old chestnut barrels gives it texture without weight, and the calcareous-clay soils at 350 meters in Alcamo show through in its earthy, mineral backbone.

BodyFruitTanninAcidity
CherryEarthBlack PepperRaspberry
  • Style: Dry, medium-bodied red; earthy and spiced; red fruit and citrus acidity; Terre Siciliane IGT
  • Grapes & Terroir: 80% Syrah, 20% Nerello Mascalese; organic; calcareous-clay soils; Contrada Fastuchera, Alcamo, 350m elevation
  • Winemaking: Indigenous yeast fermentation; 7-day skin maceration; full malolactic fermentation; 6 months in old chestnut barrels; unfiltered, unfined
  • Serving: Serve at 60-62F; 20-30 min decant for the 2018
  • Pairing: Lamb, grilled fennel sausage, pasta al ragu, aged pecorino, Sicilian cured meats
  • Similar To: For fans of earthy, spiced reds like northern Rhone Syrah or Etna Rosso who want something off the beaten path

Insolito is a Terre Siciliane IGT red from Longarico, produced in the Contrada Fastuchera district of Alcamo in western Sicily. The blend is 80% Syrah and 20% Nerello Mascalese, grown on calcareous-clay soils at 350 meters elevation, close to the Bosco d'Alcamo Nature Reserve and overlooking the valley of the River Freddo. The vineyards are farmed organically, with vines trained in Spalliera and pruned Guyot.

Harvest takes place in September when grapes are fully ripe. The fruit macerates on skins for 7 days, then undergoes spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts. Malolactic fermentation completes naturally, and the wine ages for approximately 6 months in old chestnut barrels before bottling.

The wine is bottled unfiltered and unfined, with only a minimal dose of sulfites added at bottling. The name Insolito means "unusual" in Italian, a nod to the atypical presence of Syrah and Nerello Mascalese in a region better known for Catarratto. Syrah provides structure and dark fruit, while Nerello Mascalese contributes lift, acidity, and supple red fruit character.

The result is a medium-bodied red with earthy minerality, bright red fruit, citrus-edged acidity, and a finish marked by pepper and spice typical of Sicilian Syrah.

Works well with lamb chops, grilled sausages with fennel, or pasta with a tomato-based meat ragu. The wine's acidity and spice also make it a natural match for aged pecorino or a board of Sicilian cured meats. Serve slightly cool at around 60-62F to keep the red fruit bright.

Wine details

Dry/Sweet:, Dry
Wine Type:, Red Wine
Wine Style:, Medium Body
Grapes:, Syrah, Nerello Mascalese
Farming:, Organic
Vintage:, 2018
Alcohol:,
Country:, Italy
Region:, Sicily
Appellation:, Terre Siciliane IGT
Bottle Size:, 750ml
Sugar Level:, Zero Added Sugar

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

Process time is not shipping time. Shipping time starts from the days successive to the day of shipping, after the order has been processed.

See here our shipping policy.


Important Compliance Requirements

FedEx and other carriers we might occasionally use can only deliver wine to customers who are 21 years or older. Someone must be at the address to receive the package, carriers don't just drop a package and leave. They must ensure the person receiving the wine is 21 or older.


Re-shipping a Package

If a package is returned to us after three failed delivery attempts, we can only re-ship the wine upon payment of a re-shipping fee, to be determined based on the shipping address and number of bottles. Shipping wine is extremely expensive. We are sorry about this, but we have no other choice. Please make sure there's always someone at the address you enter as your shipping address.

If you'd like to receive a refund for a package that was returned to us after FedEx made three delivery attempts, we can do that but we must keep a $20 refund fee; FedEx charges us a lot of money for returns, unfortunately, I can't stress this enough.


Re-routing a Package

If you'd like to reroute a package after it's been shipped, we can do so for a $20 re-routing fee. We cannot re-route a package across state borders. For any change of address, please contact us as soon as possible, ideally within 1-2 days from placing the order or we cannot guarantee we'll be able to reroute or change your order's shipping address.


Canceling an Order

If you'd like to cancel an order after it's been shipped, we can do so upon payment of a small cancellation fee – the amount depends on the size of the order. Carriers charge us a lot of money to recall a package en-route.


Heat/Frost damage

We are not responsible for heat- or frost-related issues. We offer ice-packs upon request. Please let us know if you think that there could be heat-related issues. If we don't hear anything from you regarding weather issues before an order is shipped, or if you don't request a hold due to the weather, we are not responsible for heat/frost damage.


Placed an order. What next?

1. You will receive an order confirmation email with your order summary.*

2. As soon as your order ships from the warehouse, usually within 2-3 business days, this applies to all shipping rates, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with your tracking information. 2DAY shipping refers to shipping time; we still need 2-3 business days to prepare an order. We need to pick and pack, QA, add printed collateral, and palletize the orders.

3. Please track your package using the tracking service.

4. The carrier will attempt delivery a maximum of 3 times. After 3 delivery attempts, your package will be sent back to our warehouse.**

*Please ensure your email address is correct; otherwise, you will not receive the order and shipping confirmation emails.

**If delivery is attempted 3 times without success, or if you fail to retrieve your package from the carrier depot by the stated deadline, the shipping fee will not be refunded to the customer.

Returns Policy

If you are not satisfied with your purchase, please contact us at (424) 414-2040 or via e-mail at hello@primalwine.com between 9 am and 5 pm Pacific Standard Time, Monday through Sunday, we would like to understand and try to solve your concerns. We can offer refunds only as store credit.

Producer profile

Longarico

Longarico was founded in 2015 by Luigi Stalteri and oenologist Alessandro Viola, who is also known independently for his own natural wine label based near Alcamo. The project began at Luigi's grandfather's former property in the hills surrounding Alcamo, in the Contrada Fastuchera district of the province of Trapani, western Sicily. Alessandro departed the collaboration in 2022, and Luigi has run the estate solo since then.

The vineyards sit at 350 meters elevation in Contrada Fastuchera, adjacent to the Bosco d'Alcamo Nature Reserve and overlooking the River Freddo valley. Soils are calcareous-clay. Farming is organic throughout. The estate produces three labels from Catarratto, Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio, and Syrah, with total production of approximately 8,000 bottles.

Across all Longarico wines, fermentation occurs with indigenous yeasts, sulfites are used only in minimal quantities at bottling, and wines are released unfiltered and unfined. Skin contact duration and vessel choice vary by label: Insolito undergoes 7 days of maceration and ages in old chestnut barrels for 6 months, with malolactic fermentation completing naturally before bottling.

Wine region

Sicily, Italy

Sicily is Italy's largest island and sits at the center of the Mediterranean, separated from the mainland by the Strait of Messina. The island's climate is predominantly Mediterranean: hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters, which keep disease pressure low and make organic farming relatively practical across much of the island. Significant variation exists by elevation and orientation, with higher inland sites in the west, like Alcamo at 350 meters, running cooler than coastal plains and producing wines with more acidity and structure.

Western Sicily, centered on the province of Trapani, is dominated by Catarratto and Grillo for whites, but international varieties like Syrah have found a foothold here, adapting well to the heat and mineral-rich calcareous soils. The region-wide Terre Siciliane IGT designation, created in 2011 to replace the former Sicilia IGT, allows producers maximum flexibility with grape varieties and winemaking techniques. Key DOC appellations in the west include Alcamo, Marsala, Delia Nivolelli, and Menfi, though many natural producers opt for the IGT classification to preserve winemaking freedom. Sicily's only DOCG is Cerasuolo di Vittoria in the southeast, a blend of Nero d'Avola and Frappato.

Frequently asked question

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

Process time is not shipping time. Shipping time starts from the days successive to the day of shipping, after the order has been processed.

See here our shipping policy.

Signature on delivery is mandatory for wine deliveries. Please make sure someone is at the shipping address to sign for the package.

If applicable, please consider delivering the package to a business address to ensure someone is available to sign for the package.

We also have the option of delivering the package to a Carrier's store for pickup. Please reach out to us to coordinate.

Carrier will try to delivery a package up to three times before returning the package to us.

See here our shipping policy.

If you miss a delivery and a package gets returned to us we have two options:

1) Reship the package right away: due to the very high cost of shipping and returns, we must charge a re-shipping fee to be determined based on package size and shipping destination.

2) Consolidate the returned package with your next order: this option is free of charge and it's the most popular option.

See here our shipping policy.

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