Nero d'Avola | Grape variety

Sicily is booming - and that's thanks to its showpiece wine, Nero d'Avola: this indigenous red grape variety produces one of the most popular wines in all of Italy. In Sicilian red wine, lush berry fruit mixes with powerful structure, all while maintaining excellent drinkability. For a long time, Nero d'Avola was in demand as a blending wine for international cuvees, but only recently have Italian winemakers begun to show respect for this original grape variety and produce it as a single varietal. Quality-conscious wine producers on the island appreciate the grape for its fullness and durability, it is also well suited for barrel aging. - Gerardo

"The Nero d'Avola has had a remarkable career in the last 20 years or so, which can be associated primarily with the rapid rise of the wines of Sicily. It is named after the small town of Avola in the province of Siracus, from where the variety probably originated. It was first mentioned in 1696, but in the 18th and 19th centuries it was still called Calavrisi, as it was believed to have originated in Calabria. The origin of this name is now believed to be Calausi, which means Caia Avola, which brings us back to the town of Avola." - Falstaff

---