Chiaramonte Gulfi, Southeastern Sicily, Italy – 70% Nero d’Avola, 30% Frappato
Aromas of ripe cherry, violets and a hint of licorice. The palate is bright and juicy, with silky tannins and lots of fresh red fruit, and it finishes long and lifted. Serve it with a slight chill and it really sings.
Try it with pizza marinara, roast chicken with olives and lemon, or eggplant parmigiana. It also pairs beautifully with roasted chestnuts, which the winery itself recommends, and with tuna steaks on the grill.
Cerasuolo di Vittoria is Sicily’s only DOCG, the highest tier of Italian wine law. It must be a blend of dark, structured Nero d’Avola and perfumed Frappato. Gulfi grows its grapes organically at about 420 m, with no irrigation and deliberately low yields. The estate pioneered single-vineyard Nero d’Avola, and Wine & Spirits named it one of the Top 100 Wineries in the World.