Important Update From the Founder Read message >
White - Sweet/Dessert

N.V. Ajello Sicilia Shams

White Blend

  • Italy
  • Sicily
  • Sicilia
Drink between 2009 - 2018 (Edit)
CT93.7 12 reviews
Label borrowed from 2006
2006

Community Tasting Notes 12

  • robmatic wrote: 93 points

    November 1, 2018 - Lovely nectar, with huge bouquet of orange blossom, stone fruits, and vanilla. Moderate sweetness along with bracing acidity and great mouthfeel. Still going strong.

  • ctbob wrote:

    October 27, 2013 - Nice botrytis, but not much acidic bite; ready

  • bpj87 wrote: 93 points

    November 22, 2012 - Botrytis spiced apricot and tropical fruits. Floral and fruity on the nose. Every sip offers a novel amalgam of flavors; kept buoyant by gentle acidity buffering the ample sweetness.

  • silton wrote: 95 points

    April 1, 2012 - april fools wine tasting; 4/1/2012-4/2/2012 (Scott & Todd's): My wine of the day out of 19 wines, this was just magnificent. A kaleidoscope of flavors, white fruits, melon, almonds, lemon curd, fresh flowers, lilac blossom honey, Grand Marnier. infinitely long. Also Lee's WOTD. A great Garagiste buy.

  • Magnolian Likes this wine: 93 points

    November 25, 2010 - Straw color, honey and melon on the nose. Very nice dessert wine, good complexity displaying a range of light fruit and candy flavors, and a little tartness on the long finish. Would buy more if I could find it.

1 - 5 of 12 More notes

Pro Reviews 2

Add a Pro Review

Professional reviews have copyrights and you can view them here for your personal use only as private content. To view pro reviews you must either subscribe to a pre-integrated publication or manually enter reviews. Learn more.

Manage Subscriptions

RJonWine.com

  • By Richard Jennings
    5/24/2008 (link) 92 points

    (NV Ajello Sicilia Shams) (white blend of Moscato, Grillo, Catarratto and Inzolia, blend of '02, '04 and '06 vintages) - medium golden color; floral, honeysuckle and Viognier-like nose; floral, jasmine, honeysuckle, dried peach and dried pineapple palate; medium-plus finish 92+ pts

Garagiste

  • By Jon Rimmerman
    6/26/2007 (link)

    (NV Ajello Shams) Dessert Rarity Dear Friends, Luca Maroni is probably Italy’s toughest wine critic. He pans almost everything as an afterthought and a 90pt score from him is really an achievement. He is feared in Italy unlike any other critic as his scornful words can destroy a wine overnight - just the opposite when he gives a “90”. His praise is so fleeting that the country takes note when a wine is singled out. To earn a 90pt score, a wine has to stand out against the entire class of Italian wines (not just it’s peer group) and a star is born overnight (as an example of his difficult scoring he gave the 2000, 2001 and 2003 Ornellaia 85, 86 and 88pts and the same vintages of Masetto 86, 88 and 88pts - he’s not kidding around). That’s why this was such an amazing achievement for Ajello when the first rendition of Shams debuted a few years ago, a 97pt score from Luca Maroni - one of the highest he has granted in his long and illustrious career (if my math is correct, only 6 Italian wines have earned a higher score in the last decade - that’s out of 30,000 or more wines tasted). Subsequent renditions of the Shams have debuted to further praise by Maroni with multiple 90+ ratings, which have confirmed its brilliance and accord as one of Italy’s most important dolcezzi. If you are into dessert wine or have even considered experimenting with dessert wine, this is your offer. From out of nowhere, this eccentric and enchanting expression from a district in Sicily not far from Marsala is unlike any other sweet wine. From a blend of Moscato, Grillo, Catarratto and Inzolia the winery releases parcels almost in a solera method from a blend of vintages that they see fit (no one is really sure what’s in each rendition). Ajello believes the wine is most like fresh orange blossoms dipped in caramel - something I’m quite sure none of you have tried but can only imagine. I will let Luca Maroni describe the Shams with his review of the debut vintage (which I believe was heavy on the 2002 vintage) - makes even me blush. I apologize for my somewhat pathetic translation of his poetic alliteration but it’s the best I could muster. The new release we offer below has not been reviewed yet but I’m sure it will carry on the tradition with aplomb: We are very proud to offer this wine, an elixer that has never been imported to the US and may never be again (only a few retailers in Italy receive an allocation and most goes straight to the best restaurants). The current release is a blend of several years (I think it is 2002, 2004 and 2006) and the winery is very proud of it - they believe it is the best wine they’ve ever made including all of their dry wines. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED as a one of a kind treat at a price that is still within reason for the effort and exotic quality. ONE SHIPMENT ONLY directly from the winery cellar (2002/2004/2006 et al) Ajello Shams (375ml) Thank you, Jon Rimmerman Garagiste Seattle, WA Italy9881

Wine Definition

  • Vintage N.V.
  • Type White - Sweet/Dessert
  • Producer Ajello
  • Varietal White Blend
  • Designation Shams
  • Vineyard n/a
  • Country Italy
  • Region Sicily
  • SubRegion n/a
  • Appellation Sicilia

Community Holdings

  • Pending Delivery 2 (1%)
  • In Cellars 83 (44%)
  • Consumed 102 (55%)

Food Pairing

No food pairings available.

Who Likes This Wine

100% Like It  2 votes

More About This Wine

Articles

Add Articles

Report a Problem

Close
© 2003-24 CellarTracker! LLC.

Report a Problem

Close