At first glance I fell in love with this bottle from Prodigo. At the time, I did not need to know that it was from Sicily or that it was made from the most important red wine grapes. * All I needed to know was that this dark tinted bottle and beautiful gold filigree was speaking to me.
I found I had to pull myself away from that intriguing stamp that resembled a wax seal from the Middle Ages. This small touch was also decorated with gold filigree and seemed to look out at me just as I was looking in.
Once I could stop staring long enough to do some research, I discovered that Nero d’Avola means “The Black Grape of Avola.” * This refers simply to the color of the grapes as they are very dark. It has historically been used as a blending grape. It has not until recent years appeared on labels alone. *
This wine was from Sicily, Italy and sampled on March 24, 2017. I at first noted the deep maroon color and knew that these grapes must really be as dark as what their namesake implies to produce such a color. I took a long whiff and noted scents of dirt, raspberries, and then the tiniest hint of mint, which was quite a surprise to me! I was listening to “Diamonds on the Inside” by Ben Harper. At first, this wine gave me a quick taste of fruit, but it quickly transformed into spice. I paired this wine with pepperoni, blackberries, and Pepperjack cheese. The pepperoni brought out more of a fruit flavor. The blackberries made the wine seem even spicier. However, it was the Pepperjack that really got me. It revealed a smoky flavor that had barely registered with me before.
I gave this wine a rating of 3.5. It was a solid ‘very good’ wine. I would purchase it on my own if only to impress others with the beautiful packaging.
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