Grillo

So what is Grillo?
 I bet most of you never heard about this grape, and yet, ALL of you had it quite a few times. Grillo is  an "obscure" grape from Sicily, and like so many things coming out of Sicily (see Mario Puzzo), we know of, but we know nothing about. It has been around for so many years, that it used to be one of Julius Ceasar favourite grapes. In the last 50 or so years, it has been planted all over Sicily, thousands of acres of it. Still, I met a sommelier in NYC once, who told me he never heard of Grillo.
I call BULL! We all had it, in different dishes, even desserts. It's the grape they use to make Marsala wine, that sweet fortified wine used to make Chicken Marsala and zabaglione. It's been used undercover in kitchens all over US for decades, and yet nobody knows about it.
In the last couples of decades, the Sicilians realised that they can make money with Grillo. So they ripped all the poppy seed plantations and put Grillo instead. Most of it still goes in the production of Marsala, but a few producers, luckily bottled some of it.
Brilliant! If you are ever tired of chardonnay, but in the mood for an aromatic, full-bodied white wine, go the store and buy a bottle. If you find it, it will cost you around $12. Throw a few shrimp in a pan, little butter, some herbs, pour yourself a glass of Grillo and enjoy. It's "slap your mama" good. If you find a BYOB sushi restaurant bring a bottle with you, it's great with raw shellfish. The wine tastes like apricots, crisp lemons and herbs. Every time I drink it, I think of those outdoor little restaurants on the coast in southern Italy.
Last year, me and my then-future wife took a trip around Italy. One of our stops was in Messina, (don't ask me why, there really is no reason anybody should visit Messina), but we had lunch at a little restaurant overlooking the harbour. I don't remember what we ate, but I remember the bottle of Grillo, the breeze and the blue water below us. Now, that to me is a good liquid lunch.
Next week, back to France, Rhone this time with Cote Rotie.