I enjoyed ten Nero d’Avolas at the "Taste of Italy" seminar and tasting in New York on February 19th. The three below are not only standouts, but also represent the range and depth that you can expect from this up-and-coming grape variety.
Casa di Grazia Gradiva Collectio Nero d’Avola IGT Sicilia 2006 – This striking estate-grown Nero just sings with fresh, rich notes of wild herbs, blackberries, fraises de bois, graphite, and pepper. In all, it’s remarkably self-contained, and should keep on improving over the next 2 – 7 years...
Cantina Viticultori Associati Aynat Nero d’Avola IGT Sicilia 2006 – A more modern Nero, this one buttressed by dark, ripe berry fruit, still-apparent oak, a hint of mushrooms, and a haunting note of licorice on the finish. It’s a brooding Nero that still needs time for its disparate parts to settle into a sense of integration, but 3 – 8 years of cellaring should really reward the patient among us.
Feudo Principi di Butera Deliella Nero d’Avola IGT Sicilia 2005 – Reminds me of warm focaccia with its thyme, sage, and rosemary aromas. The silky, well-integrated tannins, ripe cherry, and subtle hint of plum on the mid-palate provide a sense of density to this surprisingly lithe bottling.
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