A NEW GRAPE HERO

        Just when you thought you knew all the grape varieties, here comes a new grape hero:  Nero D’Avola, (NAY-roh-DAH-voh-lah).  Actually the grape has been around for quite some time but only as a minor player being used to fortify weaker French and Northern Italian reds.  Now  via some great viticultural and wine making techniques it has arrived at center stage.  Named for the little town in southern Sicily, Avola, where it has grown for several hundred years, it has spread throughout the island and become Sicily’s leading red grape.  Yes, we can add another indigenous grape to Italy’s collection.  Because of its singular climate, Sicily is fortunate to have a consistent growing season from year to year and Nero D’Avola just thrives in the warm sunshine.

Nero has often been compared to Syrah because it is a big red with ageing potential.  Several weeks ago I was introduced to the Planeta wine portfolio where I discovered this Nero D’Avola gem called Santa Ceceilia (2006).  I suggested that they put a warning on the label: may cause an explosion in your mouth!

           The Planeta family can stake a claim to being Sicily’s leading wine producer.  In a short time they have built an empire on the island with four vineyards and five wineries.  They are quite the innovative wine makers with great care for the environment and in Buonivini where Nero grows they have an ulta-modern facility called Cantina Invisible which means that  everything is underground to safeguard the beauty of the surrounding countryside

           They first bottled Nero D’Avola in 1997 and are now producing 105,000 bottles annually.  The wine spends 12 months in old French Oak barrels before iit is bottled. The “06” vintage was considered a luminous year and it shows withRobert Parker rating it a 90. Although Sicily may be known for its organized crime, it also now produces 12% of Italy’s total wine production.  Now may be a time to pay a little more attention to this little volcanic island.

           Loving this silky and full-bodied red I included it in my recent private wine tasting.  I was keen on seeing what reaction I would get and to confirm that I wasn’t the only one who thought that this was great stuff.  It was sandwiched between a beautiful Banfi Brunello and a Travaglini Gattinara Riiserva.  I know that sounds so unfair and I thought that my guests would easily fall for the Gattinara but to my delight Saint Cecilia won out!!  This wine is mouth filling with a smoky concentration of fruit flavors. There are subtle hints of tobacco and licorice.  There is also plenty of acid matched by elegantly tight tannins and a powerhouse finish.  I am getting thirsty just from talking about this.  The wine sells for $39.99, a steal at that price and is available at the Wine Shop in the Fruit Center Marketplace in Milton

Cheers

A