Tenuta Regaleali is a wine producer we had our sights on when visiting Sicily but, sadly, did not make it out to visit. So when we found a bottle of their Guarnaccio (Perricone) in the store, we knew we had to pick it up to take home.
While perhaps a lesser-known grape by Sicilian standards, this one packed a punch and showcases why Sicily is one of the most versatile, and delicious, wine regions in Italy!
A Wealth of Flavor in Tenuta Regaleali’s Perricone
This Perricone from Sicily was medium ruby in color with medium aromas of black cherry, cranberry, clove, cedar, mushroom, thyme, black raspberry, cassis, cola, violet, and cacao. The fruit notes almost had a candied component to them as well.
On the palate, the wine was dry with high acidity, medium alcohol and body, and medium (+) chalky vegetal tannin, flavor intensity, and finish. We had a bit more red fruit on the palate compared to the aromas with red cherry, cranberry, raspberry, clove, blueberry, black pepper, green bell pepper, clove, blueberry, cedar, and dried leaves to name a few.
This one certainly ran the spectrum of flavors and really hit a number of delicious flavors for us!
Perricone Food Pairing – Tomato Crepe and Mushroom
We paired this Perricone with a tomato topped crepe and sauteed mushrooms, as we wanted the bright acidity of the tomatoes and the earthiness of the mushrooms to have a medium bodied wine to match. This one was definitely a fun pairing as the red fruits on the palate became muted ever-so-slightly with stronger dark fruit notes like dark cherry, blueberry, and others coming out with the pairing- moving towards the characteristics we detected on the nose.
Score 4 / 5
We’d buy another bottle of this one.
Perricne is an unsung hero of Sicilian wines and is a good comparative to other medium bodied reds like some Nero d’Avola’s. If you are ever able to snag a bottle or a glass, don’t overlook this one as it is a real treat!
Tenuta Regaleali is part of the Tasca D’Almerita estate at Contrada Regaleali, 90020 Sclafani Bagni PA in Sicily. We purchased this bottle in Sicily and enjoyed it in 2024.
