SUBLIME SICILIAN 🌋 (WE ❤️ AZ. AGR. KALMA)

Source note: This post is adapted from Parched's October 29, 2026 newsletter

Good morning friends,

Let's get straight to the good news: we're delighted to offer five cuvées from Azienda Agricola Kalma, as their new 2025 vintage is here. Quick background: Nikolas, originally from Germany, and Waiata, originally from New Zealand, met in Sicily whilst they were both working for COS. With names like Matassa, Kindeli, and Occhipinti on their CVs, in 2022 they purchased a tiny parcel in Chiaramonte Gulfi, a hill-top town in southeastern Sicily, and are now making some of the best wine on the island. It's in these vineyards—certified organic and with a focus on regenerative farming—where the wines are truly made, as their healthy soils and polyculture farming through cover crops and olive trees allow Kalma to be as hands-off as possible in the cellar (no added sulfur for any of these).

Lifasi was the only wine produced during their inaugural vintage and remains my favourite of the bunch. And who says you can't judge a book by its cover? I first tried this lively and captivating light red/white co-ferment in 2023 in Catania where, spotting its vibrant label (unbeknownst to me at the time, designed by Nikolas and Waiata's then-three-year-old daughter, Kaia) on the shelf at a restaurant slash putìa on my first night of a family holiday, I knew I had to have it. And now so do you. Give it a good chill and thank me later.

Two more reds: Fu Manchu is 100% Frappato, crunchy and floral (and also takes well to a slight chill). Heliocentric, an homage to Cerasuolo di Vittoria (uncertified, but no need worrying about such things), is a 70/30 blend of Nero d'Avola and Frappato, silky, soft, and polished.

The white, Via del Mare, is their only wine made with purchased fruit, 100% Grillo from a friend in Marsala with a similar vineyard philosophy. Two-thirds of the grapes are direct-pressed, the remainder see about ten days of skin contact for added texture. A bit of salinity, a lot of minerality, eminently drinkable.

And finally their orange wine, Tangerine, made from Muscatedda (a.k.a. Moscato di Noto), an autochthonous grape variety that is a member of the Muscat family. Macerated for eight days on the skins, this is (as the name suggests) citrusy, peach-y, and aromatic, and displays a deftness of touch that evinces that Matassa influence.

If there's any bad news it's that, as with many small, family-run wine producers, there isn't enough to go around, and once it's gone it's gone until the next vintage. I'll happily take any extra bottles for myself but someone once told me that wine is best enjoyed shared, and I'd love to share these with you.

P.S. there are only a literal handful of Beaujolais Party tickets left; hope to see you there!

Cheers x,
Mike