Alessandro di Camporeale > Articles > Ampelography > Nero d'Avola, the powerful wine

(vineyard of Nero d’Avola)

Nero d’Avola

Nero d’Avola is a red grape vine cultivated almost exclusively in Sicily and it represents one of the best red grapes of this region, it is also known as 'Calabrese', not from a presumed origin from Calabria but from the dialectal expression 'calaurisi' that means grape coming from Avola that is a Sicilian town. It has many synonyms like 'Calabrese d’Avola', 'Calabrese nero', 'Calabrese pizzutello' and 'Calabrese dolce'.
The Sicilian producers, voted to quality, use ever more the Nero d’Avola even alone for producing full-bodied and aromatic wines that often are perfect for a long aging.

Today the Nero d’Avola is the most diffused and cultivated Sicilian grape and it can be considered the symbol of Sicilian enology especially for its capacity of adaptability to the different climes and 'terroirs' of the island.

(Bunch of Nero d’Avola)

Nero d’Avola, one of the best Italian red wine

Nero d’Avola has a big circular leaf, a medium conic bunch that is on average compact. Its grape is medium size, with an oval shape and a very strong skin of a dark blue color. It has a regular production and it’s quite resistant to the climate adversity.

Historically the wine produced from the Nero d’Avola has always been used to be mixed with other wines so its qualities were unexpressed. Today the Nero d’Avola gives life to strong and full-bodied wines that are suitable for a long aging in fine woods and with a powerful, harmonic and warm character.