NERO D’AVOLA: THE KING OF SICILIAN WINES
November 28, 2022
Taking a wine tour around the Val di Noto area is an adventure in itself. It is an area in the southeast, a wonderful corner of Sicily, the crib of Nero d’Avola that must be discovered.
The town of Noto, the capital of Sicilian Baroque has a mesmerizing feel, and just a moment’s drive away there are vineyards and wineries that enrich the landscape.
The culture of winemaking in the region is vast and ranging, constantly evolving. There are larger and smaller Sicilian wineries expressing the best of their terroir, producing wines that define not only the Nero d’Avola variety but above all own identity and uniqueness in the glass.
Nero d’Avola is certainly the most famous Sicilian red grape variety in Sicily, and one of the most widespread throughout the island. In fact, it covers around 15.000 hectares for a total of almost 50 million bottles produced annually.
The grape takes its name from both its color as well as the town of Avola in Sicily, in the province of Noto, situated in the southern part of the region, where it takes the origins from. This indigenous Sicilian variety is the symbolic grape of the terroir of Pachino and Vittoria as well; in fact, “Pachino wine” destined to reach areas affected by the phylloxera crisis in northern Europe departed from here.
In the late 1800s, as attested by ampelographic bulletins from other Sicilian provinces, Nero d’Avola extend then to the rest of the region. Its name finds its roots in the ancient Sicilian language, “Calea” meaning grape, and “Aulisi” from Avola, “Calaulisi” as the grape of Avola. Moreover, the literal translation of Nero d’Avola is “Black of Avola”, which is a reference to the grape’s dark-colored skin.
Nero d’Avola is a vigorous and generally very productive grape variety-that is why it is very important to control yields per hectare to produce quality wines.
During the press tour “DISCOVERY NERO D’AVOLA” organized by The Consortium of Tutela Vini Sicilia Doc, I had the pleasure of tasting more than fifty different wines of Nero d’Avola thanks to various experiences. There were tailor-made winery visits, rich tasting tables, and two fascinating Masterclasses “The different expressions of Nero d’Avola by soil” and “The different expressions of Nero d’Avola by altitudes” led by journalist and sommelier Luigi Salvo. Thanks to this focus, I was able to grasp particular characteristics of this indigenous Sicilian variety.
Characteristics of Nero d’Avola
Due to the flexible character of Nero d’Avola, it adapts to different conditions in the Mediterranean climate, but generally, the freshest and most intriguing expressions are produced in the hills.
Then, of course, there are too many variables to define the best area of production. Because, depending on the four Nero d’Avola biotypes, soils, climatic conditions, altitudes, vintages, and, above all, decisions made in the vineyard and cellar, wines with the different nuances between them can be produced.
From young, lighter wines with a fresher, enveloping aromatic profile, floral bouquet of violets, red fruits, cherries, currants, and pronounced acidity to bolder, medium to full-bodied, wines with a richer aroma profile that veers on notes of black cherries (fresh or under spirit) and black plum, sweet spices and licorice, vegetal notes of caper.
That said, the grape’s overall profile allows the wine to be a formidable table companion and to age very well. During this process, it is not uncommon for the wine to develop more complex and tertiary aromas such as wilted flowers, sweet spices, reminiscences of carob, rhubarb, cocoa, tobacco, and then the call of the sea with iodine, musk, and typical scents of pine and eucalyptus with a much more intriguing depth of flavor as well.
Nero d’Avola grapes are also widely used to make more or less intense rose wines, as well as sparkling wines, which are a must-try when on holiday in Sicily, wine touring.
As can be seen, there is a wide range of production facets due to the elasticity of the grape variety and its ability to remain persuasive. This allows Sicilian red wine made of Nero d’Avola to please the taste of every wine consumer, making this Sicilian wine an approachable crowd-pleaser.
