This week we’ve decided to try a little local Sicilian staple sometimes described as the Shiraz of Italy: Nero d’Avola (aka Calabrese). These wines are usually incredibly affordable (here in the US we see them almost across the board in the under $10 to under $15 categories), and they come in a range of styles. In this week’s post, for example, we’ve tasted everything from simple organic vegan Sicilia DOC bottles to wines made using the Appassimento method (made from raisinated fruit), to slightly more “premium” styles from DOCG subregions.
Our take? This may be a contentious topic for people who aren’t us, but after tasting our way through a handful of bottles at varying (low leaning) price points, it seems clear to us that, as bargain Italian reds go, you can do much better (Chianti, anyone?). There are almost certainly examples out there that perform better, but unfortunately none of the ones we tasted this week really hit the mark on value. Middling is a good word to describe these bottles; medium acid, medium tannins, mediocre flavors.
While they did not taste manipulated (an unfortunate hallmark of American wines around this price point), they were all largely quite simple, fruity, and lacking in any real excitement. Balance was a common critique for us, as well as shortcomings on intensity and finish.
That said, they were fairly variable in their profiles, so we aren’t writing them off unilaterally – and if you have a bottle you recommend, please share it with us because we’d love to give it another chance…. NOT!!!!!!! (just kidding, we will).
But before we spend any more time ragging on this poor defenseless varietal, let’s talk a little about the wines on a “scholastic” level.
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DID YOU KNOW… The term "d'Avola" in Italian translates to "of Avola," referring to the town of Avola in southeastern Sicily. Thus, the full name "Nero d'Avola" means "Black of Avola,"a reference to both the grape's dark color and its geographical origin.
NERO D’AVOLA & SICILY: A LOVE STORY
Nero d'Avola, often “hailed” as the flagship grape of Sicily, is indigenous to the region and thrives in its “sun-drenched” vineyards, producing red wines that “embody” the island's “unique terroir” with a lineage that traces back to ancient times (LIKE TODAY’S YOUTH).
Sicily grows vast quantities of grapes with Nero d’Avola being the dominant variety planted, and most of the wines produced fall under either IGT Terre di Sicilia / Terre Siciliane, or if yields are slightly lowered, Sicilia DOC. There are also DOCG subregions that produce wines of a typically higher quality, but again at lower yields, which means that accessibility is impacted (especially as you stray further from the source AKA here in the good ole USA).
Sicily's hot, dry climate plays a crucial role in shaping Nero d'Avola wines. The grape “loves” arid conditions, making it well-suited to the island's Mediterranean climate. In sandy sites and lower elevations, Nero d'Avola tends to produce wines that are lighter, more delicate, and simpler (LIKE ME!), while wines from more elevated sites are typically more structured and robust.
Nero d'Avola typically showcases a fruit-forward profile, characterized by notes of black cherry, strawberry, plum, and hints of spice, but it is also quite versatile, and the flavors in each bottle are reflective of the decisions made in the winemaking process.
It is often viewed as an easy drinking, everyday wine, that is best enjoyed with flavorful dishes, an open mind, and a heavy heart.
Profile: Strawberry fruit roll up, red cherry, plum, black pepper, herbs, cocoa Palate: Dry, medium acid, medium tannins, medium body, medium finish
The primary flavor here is strawberry “fruit rolls ups” (the kind that TODAY’S YOUTH once adored) along with a flutter of herbs and spice. This wine unfortunately lacking in concentration and complexity compared to many other Italian red wines at a similar price point.
Profile: Strawberry, cherry, raspberry, red plum, cola, marker ink Palate: Dry, medium+ acid, medium- tannin, medium body, medium+ finish
This one was very much dominated by fresh, bright red fruit flavors. It had good acidity, but lacked tannin structure, and had hint of marker ink that “joined the fun” in the aromatics (not to the point of being flawed, but present). By our metrics this was a 77 pointer, but I would have definitely instinctively scored it higher as this was a simple and fruity wine that I think a lot of people would probably enjoy, especially with food pairings (try a bruschetta, spaghetti marinara). In spite of the less than incredible score here, at $11, I would say this is a good one to try as an entry into what Nero d’Avola has to offer. It won’t change your life, but it’s an easy drinking dinner wine that will certainly appeal to some palates, and it is tres cheap.
Profile: Rubber, dates, raisins, strawberry, mulberry, dark chocolate, wet stone Palate: Dry, medium acid, medium- tannin, medium body, medium finish
This one featured mostly dried fruit and rubbery notes, with a little mulberry and chocolate. It wasn’t offensive, but it was far from inviting, and was lacking in concentration and structure. At $14 it won’t break the bank, and if you gravitate towards flavors of dates and raisins, it might be worthy of a taste, but as evaluating as objectively as I can, this one earned its C- score. 72 points.
Profile: Black plum, black cherry, black raspberry, pepper, tobacco, brine, cocoa powder Palate: Dry, high acid, medium+ tannin, full body, long finish
This bottle from producer Agricola Cortese was, for me, the stand out of the bunch in terms of over all quality, showcasing more intensity, structure, and complexity than the others tasted this week, with some interesting aromatics and flavors in the mix. Of course, this was the only one of the bunch from a DOCG and it is not 100% made from Nero d’Avola (60% Nero, 40% Frappato), and unsurprisingly this was also more expensive as a result, as such also missing the mark on value for me. It definitely has some merits and pairs pretty well with earthy dishes (think mushrooms & lentils). Worth a try if you find it, but at $25 a bottle, I will not be a repeat buyer. 86 points.
Conclusion? We’re leaning cheap plonk on this one.
As a side note, allowing time for these bottles to open helped a bit (SHOCKER), and pairing with food was a big plus, so when in doubt, try some pairings.
Okay so clearly we are not the world’s biggest Emperor Nero fans, but that doesn’t mean you should take our word for it — in fact, you may already know something we don’t…
Do you? Then PLEASE, drop us some recommendations (or extremely disparaging criticisms) in the comments section because we’d love to change our minds and/or cry ourselves to sleep tonight!
Until next time, HAPPY DRINKING PEOPLE.
Cheers,
Isaac & Zach
Tannic Panic! flows like bargain plonk. SUBSCRIBE.
This is another grape that I don't know much about so I'm hesitant about having an opinion. I've never been offended by the wines I've tried...but I also haven't tried enough quality wines showing typicity to be able to identify it blind. By and large, I quite like how easy going and simpler these wines have been. They're food friendly and facilitate rather than dominate conversations. Honestly, I kinda want more of this sort of thing on my shelf.
I would add a choice to your poll: Reliably okay. I've never had a bad one, or a great one. For the price, it'll work with a cheeseburger.
This is another grape that I don't know much about so I'm hesitant about having an opinion. I've never been offended by the wines I've tried...but I also haven't tried enough quality wines showing typicity to be able to identify it blind. By and large, I quite like how easy going and simpler these wines have been. They're food friendly and facilitate rather than dominate conversations. Honestly, I kinda want more of this sort of thing on my shelf.