WINERY: Due Terre
COUNTRY: Italy
REGION: Sicilia
APPELLATION: Sicilia DOC
GRAPE: 100% Nero d'Avola
WINEMAKER NOTES: Nero d’Avola is arguably the most important indigenous red grape from the island of Sicily. It grows well just about everywhere on the island, but is often over extracted and aged in oak. Due Terre's goal in making this Nero d’Avola was letting the delicious vinous quality of the grape shine through. The vineyard is located at the base of Monte Bonifato at 350m above sea level with clay soils that are very poor in nutrients creating the perfect conditions for bright, fresh red wine.
TASTING NOTES: Grown at a very high elevation, the Nero d'Avola bottling here is a crisp, crunchy, vivid expression of the Sicily's ubiquitous red grape that can easily get fat and high in alcohol, because, well, Sicily is hot and fresh wines haven't traditionally been a thing here. But with dark brambly fruit, lush blueberry, forest floor, soft tannins, chalky minerality and a refreshingly light-ish body
PAIRING SUGGESTIONS: Try it with grilled meats, pasta alla Norma, baked lasagna and pizza.
ABOUT THE WINERY: Due Terre Wines is a collaboration between friends, Alcamo native Vito Lauria and California-based wine merchant Catherine Stratton. Vito returned to Sicily in 2005 after getting his Enology degree in Udine in 2003 and spending a few years working at wineries in Northern Italy. With Catherine's help, he revitalized his family’s old winery in Alcamo and worked his relationships with the local small family that he had known since childhood. All Due Terre wines are from certified organic growers who have been working this way for many, many years and all are single varietal bottling, to showcase the unique character of each native grape.
Listed vintage subject to availability