Starting with the 2006 Faro Palari we started to see much bottle variation moving down our vertical tasting. This is an elegant, if somewhat tempered expression, with nicely evolved aromas of dried fruit and licorice. The 2006 vintage doesn’t have the same level of intense sharpness or vitality as the 2007. This vintage saw less moisture and strong winds that brushed against the steep mountains of the Faro appellation. Drink 2015-2028. Salvatore Geraci makes one of the icon wines of southern Italy: Faro Palari. An architect by training, this charismatic Sicilian from Messina approaches every detail with extreme precision, from the health of each of his vines to the ambitious restoration of his family manor into a modern winery and tasting room. The magic of his wine, however, is his vineyard. Running late after a long day of appointments, I had the chance to visit his property after nightfall – a fact for which Salvatore has probably not forgiven me. Despite the blackness around us, I cannot exaggerate the beauty of this place. Salvatore’s vineyards (and much of the Faro appellation) remain perched on impossibly steep terraces that look over the Straits of Messina straight into Reggio di Calabria and mainland Italy. We reached his vineyard by Jeep, traveling up a dirt path more appropriate for mountain sheep than motorized vehicle. Using his cell phone to cast an eerie blue light, Salvatore shows me the thick, knotted trunks of his ancient head-pruned vines. The lights of the Italian mainland shimmer in the near distance and muffled horns can be heard from the busy maritime traffic that channels through the Straits. Since the time of the ancients, this thin watery passage – with its dangerous currents and riptides – has sparked both fascination and fear. The legend of the Fata Morgana, a mysterious mirage said to disorient even the most experienced seamen, is born here. The rocky northern corner of Sicily hovers so close to the southern tip of Calabria creating unpredictable wind tunnels and suction. Nothing is subtle about these surroundings. Everything is extreme. Importers: Vinity Wine Company, www.vinitywinecompany.com; Panebianco, www.panebiancollc.com

This is a delicate and beautiful wine that roughly translates into Sicily’s answer to a great Pinot Noir. Indigenous grapes native to the Mediterranean island are used to make an elegant, complex and anything-but-obvious expression that boasts small berry fruit, cola and toasted almond. ——M.L.(6/1/2011)—— 92