RedLead grape in 9
Nero d'Avola
Also called Calabrese.
Sicily's main red, and for a long time its most abused. It has the colour, sugar and body to prop up weaker wine, and tankers of it went north for exactly that. Grown for itself on the southeast of the island it gives black cherry, liquorice and warm spice with enough acid to stay lively. The best of it now comes from cooler, higher sites rather than the baking plains.
Worth knowing
Its other name is Calabrese, which points at the wrong region entirely. The likeliest explanation is a corruption of Calaurisi, meaning from Avola, so the grape has been getting its own address wrong for centuries.
Where it is allowed24 appellations
Sicily21
- AlcamoDOCStill hunting
- Cerasuolo di VittoriaDOCGlead grape50 to 70%Still hunting
- Contea di SclafaniDOClead grapeStill hunting
- Contessa EntellinaDOClead grapeStill hunting
- Delia NivolelliDOCStill hunting
- EloroDOClead grapeStill hunting
- EriceDOCStill hunting
- FaroDOCStill hunting
- Mamertino di Milazzo (Mamertino)DOClead grapeStill hunting
- MarsalaDOCStill hunting
- MenfiDOCStill hunting
- MonrealeDOCStill hunting
- NotoDOClead grapeStill hunting
- RiesiDOClead grapeStill hunting
- SalaparutaDOCStill hunting
- Sambuca di SiciliaDOClead grapeStill hunting
- Santa Margherita di BeliceDOCStill hunting
- SciaccaDOCStill hunting
- SiciliaDOClead grapeStill hunting
- SiracusaDOCStill hunting
- VittoriaDOCStill hunting