($42, Palm Bay International): Planeta considers Santa Cecilia, made exclusively from Nero d’Avola at its Noto estate, one of its six wineries spread over the island, to be its flagship red wine.  I’ve always loved the Santa Cecilia because of the complexity it shows and enjoyment it delivers when young. But, in my experience, it also develops beautifully with bottle age.  The trick is to keep the new vintage away from the corkscrew.  Nero d’Avola, especially in Planeta’s hands, has an alluring earthiness and herbal quality when young.  Its tannins, while present, are not overpowering. Santa Cecilia has gotten better with each successive vintage as Planeta has learned from experience.  The 1995, the first vintage, was a blend of Nero d’Avola from two different areas of the island, and Syrah.  They ditched the Syrah and focused on Nero d’Avola grown only in Noto, the area they consider the best for Nero d’Avola.  They’ve also jettisoned the use of new oak for aging, realizing that the wine actually suffered.  The 2009 Santa Cecilia is stunning, with an alluring combination of dark fruitiness and earthy smoky notes.  Its velvety texture seduces.   Try with a steak on the grill this summer.
94 Michael Apstein Jun 3, 2014