Nero Oro Nero d’Avola Appassimento, DOC Sicilia, 2017
Nero Oro comes from the Feudo di Santa Tresa estate in Sicily, in collaboration with a company called The Wine People. It’s intriguing in several ways, and not just because of the taste.
Firstly, it’s 100% Nero d’Avola, a grape indigenous to Sicily and one of it’s best varieties. Since the 1990’s, it has become Sicily’s most important red grape. You’ll find it in blends or, as in this example, as a monovarietal wine.
Appassimento
Then it’s also an Appassimento. This centuries-old winemaking technique is widespread with white and red grapes. Either the grapes are left on the vine until they raisin or more commonly, they are air-dried after picking. It concentrates the grapes sugar, so raising the potential alcohol. Acidity also increases, and drying also transforms other substances. The result is a more complex, stronger wine.
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