2020 Sicilia Annamaria Sala Rosso DOC

The vines are just 15 years old on average but the wine is ever-complex. While some Nero d’Avola wines can be on the dense and fruity side, the Sala sisters and the terroir make this wine a somewhat translucent red with bright acidity, tension, and elegant fruit. As someone who loves Burgundy, this is the style of wine that makes my mouth water.

Nero d’Avola, the black grape of Avola, has been cultivated in Sicilia since the Greeks brought the plants in the 8th century BC. The land where Nero d’Avola grows is characterized by clayey soil, well suited to black varieties and to wines with a more robust structure. This vineyard is very close to the sea, bringing sea breezes to the grapes and saline minerality to the wine. Manual harvest normally takes place in the second and third weeks of September. After fermentation in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature and maceration of a minimum of two weeks, the wine is aged on the lees for 3-4 months more before bottling.