{"product_id":"horus-sole-e-terra-sicily-italy-2024","title":"Horus, 'Sole e Terra', Sicily, Italy 2024","description":"\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThere's just something extra special about Sicilian white wines. In an ocean of anonymous, overripe Mediterranean whites that too often substitute alcohol and tropical fruit for character, Sicily's finest handcrafted white wines are the antithesis: astonishingly energetic, mouthwateringly mineral, and overflowing with inimitable terroir character. Every sip of today's 2024 “Sole e Terra” from Horus seems to harness the warmth of the Sicilian sun while also, in equal measure, vividly telegraphing the cooling influence of the surrounding sea.  Profound orchard fruit, texture that is dense and waxy in a way that recalls top-tier Chenin Blanc, and a finish loaded with the kind of stony precision that keeps pulling me back for another taste. At such a modest price, I'd be hard-pressed to suggest another Sicilian white, this bottle proves Sicily is no longer merely competing with Italy's great white wine regions, but increasingly defining them.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHorus is based in Acate, between the Acate River and the town of Vittoria in Sicily's southeastern Hyblaean countryside. The project brings together Rosario Giudice, whose family's agricultural experience in the area dates to 1974, and veteran Sicilian winemaker Giuseppe Romano. Romano brings decades of experience working with the grapes and soils of southeastern Sicily, while Giudice represents a family deeply rooted in the agricultural life of Acate. Together, they have created an estate that feels both firmly established and refreshingly contemporary: grounded in local farming tradition, yet guided by a modern understanding of organic viticulture and precise, transparent winemaking.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe estate encompasses approximately 100 hectares between Acate and Vittoria, with roughly 30 hectares planted to vines and the remainder devoted primarily to olive and almond trees. This is the same extraordinary corner of southeastern Sicily associated with regional icons such as COS and Arianna Occhipinti, a sun-drenched landscape of warm days, cooling maritime breezes, and sandy, mineral-rich soils. Horus farms its vineyards organically, avoiding synthetic herbicides and chemical pesticides, relying instead on organic fertilizers, preventative vineyard work, and practices intended to preserve the natural equilibrium among soil, vine, and climate. The estate's wines are certified organic, but more importantly, the farming gives Sole e Terra the vitality and clarity that distinguish serious Sicilian white wine from something merely ripe and refreshing.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe 2024 Sole e Terra Bianco is led by Fiano and Vermentino, with a smaller portion of Moscato: 50% Fiano, 40% Vermentino, and 10% other grapes, including Zibibbo. It is an inspired combination for the dry, maritime conditions around Acate. Fiano provides substance, waxy texture, and savory depth; Vermentino contributes freshness, Meyer lemon lift, and saline definition; and the restrained addition of local aromatic varieties contributes floral detail without turning the wine overtly perfumed or sweet. The vines are trained on vertical trellises using Guyot pruning, and the juice ferments for 17 days at controlled temperatures between 15°C and 18°C. The resulting wine is raised without oak, preserving its purity, brightness, and direct connection to the Sicilian landscape.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eServe today's 2024 Sole e Terra at 54°F in a medium Burgundy stem. In the glass, it shows a brilliant pale straw color with youthful green reflections. The aroma is unusually expressive, moving from white flowers and orange blossom toward Meyer lemon, bruised pear, yellow apple, fresh herbs, and a restrained suggestion of exotic fruit. On the palate, it is medium-bodied and gently textured, with Fiano supplying breadth and quiet power while Vermentino provides freshness, acidity, and a distinctly saline mineral spine. The structure is polished but energetic, with enough substance to accompany food and enough lift to remain dangerously drinkable. The finish is clean, persistent, and mouthwatering, leaving impressions of citrus peel, white flowers, Mediterranean herbs, and sea salt. It is an ideal companion for fried anchovies or calamari, grilled prawns, fresh sheep's-milk cheese, or the classic Sicilian pasta busiate with pesto Trapanese. Already enormously pleasurable, this bottle will drink and evolve beautifully over the next three to four years.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Transparent","offers":[{"title":"750ml","offer_id":47231144525980,"sku":"CAUB2607-HORUS24SOLE-750","price":31.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0694\/6937\/2572\/files\/Horus_SoleeTerraSicily_Italy2024WEB.png?v=1784322082","url":"https:\/\/thecaubleist.com\/products\/horus-sole-e-terra-sicily-italy-2024","provider":"The Caubleist","version":"1.0","type":"link"}