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Winery
Barone Beneventano Del Bosco
Vintage: 2010
2010 saw extremely high quality viticulture in many parts of the world, with an exceptionally long and hot summer providing huge benefits for wineries across many countries, especially in the southern hemisphere. The northern hemisphere and Europe saw something of a cooler summer and flowering period, but this was by no means as disastrous as it could have been. France, especially, had a fantastic year in 2010, with the world renowned Burgundy region proclaiming that their white wines of this year are ones to look out for, and despite yields being relatively small across much of the country, the quality was exceptionally high. Spain, too, received some cooler weather, but Rioja and the rest of central Spain are hailing 2010 as a very good year indeed, again as a result of smaller, finer yields. California also received similar climatic conditions, but again, wineries are highly positive about the overall effect this had on their produce, as the slightly challenging conditions resulted in smaller yields of much elegance and distinction.
2010 was really Australia's year, and in South Australia and across the Mornington Peninsula, Chardonnay vines produced good yields with a lower sugar level than in previous years. As such, the majority of South Australian white wines from 2010 are superb, and packed full of character. Shiraz also had a great year, and most Australian wineries have been proclaiming 2010 one of the great vintages. Both the Argentinian and Chilean wine industries benefited from some ideal climatic conditions this year, and are reportedly ecstatically pleased with the fact that their 2010 wines ended up with lower alcohol levels, and were beautifully balanced wines packed full of flavor.
Varietal: Nero D'avola
On the beautiful, sun-drenched island of Sicily in Italy, one of the most important grape varietals grown is the Nero d'Avola, a versatile fruit which is used in the production of excellent, full bodied and flavorful still wines, as well as the famous Marsala fortified wines traditionally made on the island. The Nero d'Avola grape has been cultivated on Sicily for centuries, most notably in the region of Avola from where it takes its name. However, in recent years it has also been grown in several parts of the New World, where it thrives best in hot and arid locations. The Nero d'Avola is notable for its spicy and peppery nature, and the strong plummy flavors it holds. The thick and dark skins of the fruit have a relatively high tannin and acid content, producing deep and complex wines.
Region: Sicily
For thousands of years, Sicily has been producing high quality wines of several different styles which are consistently enjoyed all over the world. The ancient Greeks may have been the first to recognize how perfect this island was for viticulture, but today a huge area of Sicily is covered in vineyards growing plenty of different grape varietals and resulting in some of Italy's finest wines. This unique wine region produces a considerable percentage of Italy's overall wines, and it isn't difficult to see how wineries have flourished on the island. With beautiful year-round sunshine, cooling sea breezes helping the grapes reach full ripeness, along with the highly fertile volcanic soil which is typical of Sicily, it should come as no surprise this is one of Europe's oldest and most productive wine regions.
Country: Italy
Italy is recognised as being one of the finest wine producing countries in the world, and it isn't difficult to see why. With a vast amount of land across the country used primarily for vineyard cultivation and wine production, each region of Italy manages to produce a wide range of excellent quality wines, each representative of the region it is produced in. Any lover of Italian wines will be able to tell you of the variety the country produces, from the deliciously astringent and alpine-fresh wines of the northern borders, to the deliciously jammy and fruit-forward wines of the south and the Italian islands. Regions such as Barolo are frequently compared with Bordeaux and Burgundy in France, as their oak aged red wines have all the complexity and earthy, spicy excellence of some of the finest wines in the world, and the sparkling wines of Asti and elsewhere in Italy can easily challenge and often exceed the high standards put forward by Champagne. Thanks to excellent terrain and climatic conditions, Italy has long since proven itself a major player in the world of wines, and long may this dedication to quality and excellence continue.