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2021
$13.13
Nero D'avola
Italy
Sicily
750ml
12B / $12.87
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Located at 600m above sea level, these vineyards are more suitable for the production of white grapes, such as the...
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Thick and intense color; aromas of ripe red fruit combined with leather notes. On the palate is full-bodied and...
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Winery
Graffetta
Vintage: 2012
2012 has, so far been a positive year for wineries around the world. While it may be a little too early to speak of the wines being made in the northern hemisphere, European and North American wineries have already begun reporting that their harvesting season has been generally very good, and are predicting to continue with the kind of successes they saw in 2011. However, 2012 has been something of a late year for France, due to unpredictable weather throughout the summer, and the grapes were ripening considerably later than they did in 2011 (which was, admittedly, an exceptionally early year). French wineries are claiming, though, that this could well turn out to be advantageous, as the slow ripening will allow the resulting wines to express more flavour and features of the terroir they are grown in.
The southern hemisphere has seen ideal climatic conditions in most of the key wine producing countries, and Australia and New Zealand particularly had a superb year, in particular with the Bordeaux varietal grapes that grow there and which love the humidity these countries received plenty of. Also enjoying a fantastic year for weather were wineries across Argentina and Chile, with the Mendoza region claiming that 2012 will be one of their best vintages of the past decade. Similar claims are being made across the Chilean wine regions, where Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon had an especially good year. These two grape varietals also produced characterful wines on the coastal regions of South Africa this year.
Varietal: Nero D'avola
One of the key flagship grape varietals of the beautiful island of Sicily is Nero d'Avola, a black skinned grape which is recognized as being one of Italy's most important and long lasting indigenous grapes. Often, wines made from the Nero d'Avola varietal are compared with Australian Shiraz wines, as they share the same spicy, peppery and fruit-forward notes, and are easily drinkable with a sunny, juicy character which makes them ideal for pairing with a wide range of foods. The Nero d'Avola has been grown in the Sicilian region of Avola for centuries, but has more recently been cultivated in California and elsewhere in the New World, where it thrives in arid landscapes and hot climates. As such, the ancient influence of this grape varietal is beginning to find fans all over the globe, and is likely to spread to even more countries in the near future.
Region: Sicily
Sicily has been an important wine region for thousands of years, with the ancient Greek settlers being among the first to discover its remarkable aptitude for viticulture. It isn't difficult to understand why they were impressed, and nor is it hard to understand why the island's wine industry continues to boom to this day. The climate on Sicily is ideal for wine production – sunshine beating down on the vineyards almost all year round, and a highly fertile volcanic soil produced from such magnificent peaks as Mount Etna. Sicily's vineyards are mostly used for the production of sweet dessert wines and fortified wines, such as the famous wine of Marsala, but the variety found across the island is impressive, and results in a great range of dry white and red wines packed full of exciting fruit flavors.
Country: Italy
It isn't difficult to understand why Italy is famed not just for the quality of its wines, but also for the vast variety and range of characteristics found in the wines there. The terrain of the country varies wildly, from the lush rolling green hills and valley of Tuscany, to the sun drenched rocky coasts of Sicily, the mountainous and alpine regions of the north, and the marshy lowlands of the east. Italy really does have a little bit of everything. Combine this huge range of landscapes with an almost perfect climate for grape cultivation, and you have a country seemingly designed for viticultural excellence. The results speak for themselves, and it is clear to see that wine has become an inseparable part of Italian culture as a result of its abundance and brilliance. Each village, city and region has a local wine perfectly matched with the cuisine of the area, and not an evening passes without the vast majority of Italian families raising a glass of locally sourced wine with pride and pleasure.