Inzolia (Ansonica) wine guide

Today, we’ll talk about one of the most important white grapes in Italian winemaking: Sicilian Inzolia. The Normans brought it to Sicily, but it has since spread to other parts of central Italy, especially Tuscany (Elba), where it is known as Ansonica.

Characteristics of the Inzolia grape

Since it is also very famous in Tuscany, we call it Inzolia-Ansonica because it is the same wine grape. They are the same thing, except that the differences between climatic and terroir are considerable.

Sicilian Inzolia has a saltier, sharper, pulpier, and more acidic flavor than Tuscan Ansonica, which is more delicate, slightly rounder but always tapered, and has an excellent acid-savory texture.

The bouquet of the Inzolia-Ansonica grape

The nose is classic. There are no acute It is played on delicate hints of citrus, flowers such as broom and mimosa, peach and apricot, and apple, and then the most characteristic features are balsamic notes of thyme, hay, honey, and the classic white pepper. Another organoleptic characteristic are the mineral scents: rocks, flint, flint, but there is no need to be a perfume fetishist.

The variety is good; it is pretty expressive, but it is undoubtedly not an aromatic grape variety.

The flavor of the Inzolia-Ansonica grape

On the tongue, it has averagely good qualities, like good acidity, pleasantness, flavor, and drinkability. In short, there are no incredible highs or virtues, but the average quality is excellent.

The tone, indeed, is green, and the predominant flavor is green. It is never a warm or enveloping wine but tends more toward pungent, mineral, and balsamic sensations.

The flavors are those of lime, grass, aromatic herbs, rocks, no butter, and Chardonnay-style custard, so to speak, unless it has been heavily aged in barrique. It is also true that, especially in Sicily, the Inzolia revival movement is in full swing, even if we are only tasting the tip of the iceberg of this Renaissance.

Often we describe Inzolia as a very acid wine, but only because it is harvested early, during the first weeks of September, since it is very rich in sugar and the acidity tends to diminish quickly.

However, this is a problem common to all Sicilian white wines, not only those from Inzolia.

History of the Inzolia-Ansonica grape: the origin

And, since we’re talking about the rebirth of this exquisite wine, we can’t help but think about its tragic past. The origin of the Inzolia grape is obscure.

There are no very reliable documents on its birth. It is said that it arrived in Sicily with the arrival of the Phoenicians, but others think it came with the first Greek colonists, and the relationship with the Greek vines Rhoditis and Sideritis seems to confirm this hypothesis.

In fact, Pliny the Elder, in his Naturalis Historia, is the first to mention it again, referring to him as Irziola.

Another idea that hasn’t been proven is that the vine came to Sicily with the Normans and has since taken root and grown in every part of the island.

Around 1800, it became so fundamental that it entered the Marsala blend, even if today the protagonists of Marsala wine are Catarratto and Grillo.

Since its inception, it has always been pumped to excess. It was produced with intensive yields, so much that until the mid-1900s, it was the classic blending wine that was exported in large quantities to enrich the anemic wines of the north.

Or to produce vermouth, thanks to high alcohol content.

Fortunately, today the Sicilian winemakers have realized that Inzolia is a wine that deserves to be produced in purity to enhance its qualities of refinement and graceful elegance.

Production areas of the Inzolia-Ansonica grape

His elective homeland is Sicily, especially in the coastal area and the first hills near the sea. We find it in the DOC Alcamo, County of Scalfani, Contesse Entellina, Delia Nivolelli, Menfi, Monreale, Santa Margherita di Belice and Sciacca.

In Tuscany, keeping faith with its island origins, it has found a great habitat on the island of Elba and here and there along the entire Tyrrhenian coast, starting from Grosseto and getting up to Pisa.

It is present in the DOC Ansonica, Argentario coast, Elba (dry and passito), Val di Cornia.

Inzolia-Ansonica Food Pairings

Ansonica is a fantastic aperitif wine, one of those whites that has the right characteristics to please 90% of palates.

Fresh, salty, elegant, and never too hot or overbearing, it is excellent if served alone or with cold cuts, finger food. Recommended dishes: parmigiana ravioli, spaghetti with clams, chicken tikka masala, Chicken Cacciatore, Vitello Tonnato, truffle risotto, pasta alla carbonara.

Serving temperature of Inzolia-Ansonica wine

8 degrees for the simplest and most immediate wines. If they are orange-style wines, dare even with 12 degrees.