Merlot (2022)

About this wine

Cusumano’s 2022 Merlot is a pure expression of Merlot from Sicily, and it shows a warmer, more generous side of the grape than you usually get from cooler regions. The wine opens with black cherry, plum, blackberry, and a touch of cocoa, then settles into a round, supple palate with a little sweet spice and a hint of vanilla. It is made entirely from Merlot and kept in stainless steel, which helps the fruit stay front and center rather than getting buried under oak character. That gives it a clean, approachable style, with juicy fruit and smooth texture leading the way. Cusumano helped push modern Sicilian wine into a more internationally loved category in the early 2000s, and this bottle shows why, because it takes a familiar grape and gives it a distinctly Sicilian sense of warmth and charm.

About the grape

Merlot is a Bordeaux born variety prized for its soft tannins and adaptability, and in Sicily it was adopted as part of the islands move to international styles in the late 20th century. For the 2022 Cusumano Merlot the grapes come from clay based soils in the rolling Presti e Pegni hills near Monreale, from espalier trained vines planted at about 5000 vines per hectare with an average age of roughly seven years. In the cellar the variety is handled gently with two days of cold skin maceration, controlled fermentation in stainless steel and completion of malolactic fermentation in steel, practices that preserve Merlots ripe phenolic profile and early ripening character. These vineyard and vinification choices reflect Merlots role here as the single varietal focus of a Terre Siciliane bottling, showing how the grape is cultivated and expressed in central western Sicily.

Quick facts

• 🗺️ Cusumano’s 2022 Merlot is labeled as a Terre Siciliane IGT, a designation that highlights it as a whole‑island expression rather than from a single village, so the bottle is a little Sicilian road‑trip in a glass.
• 🌊 The 2022 Merlot often appears under the name “Marena” on distributor pages, a nod to the nearby sea where the vineyards in Butera feel coastal breezes that shape the wine’s softer, fruit‑forward character.
• 👬 Cusumano was founded by brothers Alberto and Diego Cusumano in 2001, so this Merlot comes from a relatively young, family‑run estate that quickly became a modern ambassador for Sicilian wine.
• 🏛️ The winery estate blends old Sicilian architecture with modern winemaking—the original 19th‑century baglio was renovated into a tasting and events hub while the cellar next door houses contemporary stainless tanks used for wines like the Merlot 2022.
• 🍒 Cusumano’s Merlot 2022 is made from 100% Merlot with a brief cold maceration step before fermentation, a gentle technique the producer uses to keep the wine’s ripe red‑fruit personality bright and approachable right away.

Palate profile

Producer

Cusumano Winery, founded in 2001 by brothers Diego and Alberto Cusumano in Partinico, Sicily, has rapidly become a prominent name in Sicilian viticulture. Building upon their father Francesco's experience in the wine sector, they sought out the island's most suitable terroirs, establishing estates like Tenuta Ficuzza in Piana degli Albanesi and Tenuta San Giacomo in Butera. In 2013, they expanded to Mount Etna, creating the Alta Mora winery to harness the unique volcanic soils. Their commitment to quality and innovation has earned them international acclaim, with wines like Sàgana and Noà receiving top ratings.