Executed in an opulent and international style, the 2011 Chardonnay is a landmark Sicilian white. Starting with the 2012 vintage, it will carry the “Sicilia DOC” appellation. You feel the warm Sicilian sunshine in the thick texture of the wine as well as the aromas of ripe peach, lemon drop candy and toasted almond. It offers a beautiful smoky aftertaste with elegant touches of chopped herb, honey and sage. Drink 2015-2020. Diego Planeta, along with Giacomo Rallo of Donnfugata and Lucio Tasca d’Almerita, is one of the three founding fathers of the “Sicilian wine renaissance” sparked 10 to 15 years ago. Cousins Francesca, Santi and Alessio Planeta hold the reigns to the estate today and have developed one of the most innovative and modern wine entities in Italy (they are among the most “l(fā)iked” wineries on Facebook). The Planeta family boasts a gifted hand in marketing and their hard work has only helped to develop the “Sicily” brand within the many foreign markets they penetrate. Enormous credit goes to them. Although Planeta’s wines are always impressive, I was less enthused by this set of new releases. The entry-level products represent excellent value, but the top tier wines (including a wine I love very much, Santa Cecilia) are not at their peak performance. Importer: Palm Bay, www.palmbay.com

The 2010 Chardonnay bursts from the glass with mango, honeysuckle, mint and orange jam. Even with all of the richness, this is a very different style of Chardonnay than Planeta made just a few years ago. There is plenty of intensity in the glass, but it is matched by considerable harmony. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2014. Importer: Palm Bay International, Boca Raton, FL; tel. (561) 362-9642

The 2009 Chardonnay shows excellent varietal character and definition in its expressive, layered fruit. The excessively heavy style of years past has been replaced with more nuance and subtlety, all good things.

The 2008 Chardonnay is a very pretty, refined white laced with ripe apricots, flowers and tangerine. This mid-weight Chardonnay offers lovely balance and a clean, bracing finish. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2012. This is a solid set of wines from Planeta, one of Sicily's better-known estates. As good as the best of these wines can be, they are also very safe. It would be nice to see Planeta take some more chances and make wines with a little more ambition. The raw materials certainly seem to be present to make that happen. Importer: Palm Bay International, Boca Raton, FL; tel. (561) 362-9642

I was very impressed with the 2007 Chardonnay, which isn’t the heavy behemoth of prior vintages. Super-ripe tropical fruit, butterscotch and sweet spices are layered into the frame of this quintessentially Sicilian Chardonnay. The wine reveals notable length and a clean, refreshing finish that provides balance. The 2007 is an especially elegant Chardonnay from Planeta. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2011. This is one of the better sets of wines I can remember tasting from Planeta. The estate seems to have dialed back the use of oak, and at their finest, the wines offer lovely balance. Importer: Palm Bay International, Boca Raton, FL; tel. (561) 362-9642