This month we take you on a journey of discovery of one of Sicily’s most identifiable varieties.
We’ll take you to discover its history, characteristics and the wines it can give rise to, including our Nero d’Avola as red Nedda and rosé Lia, and then we are going to end with tips on how we would pair it.
Nero d’Avola: origins and history
The origin of Nero d’Avola can most likely be traced back to Greek influence on the island. In fact, most of the coastal cities of Sicily (with the exception of our own city, Marsala, and Palermo, which are cities founded by the Phoenicians), were founded by Greek settlers.
Its name is associated with Avola, a town in the province of Syracuse. The variety is also known by a second name, Calabrese, a name by which it was known in the nineteenth century, the history of which is rather curious.
The name Calabrese seems to refer not to the neighboring region of Calabria but to a mistaken Italianization of the term “caleaulisi,” from ‘calea’ (grape, in the dialect of eastern Sicily) and “aulisi,” or of Avola.
Sicilian merchants went along with this mistranslation, relying on the name “Calabrese” because at the time, wines from Calabria were more sought after in the market, especially by French producers, to enrich and fortify their reds.
To sell wines, therefore, some Sicilian producers marketed their products under the name “Calabrese.”
On the origin of this name there is also a second, less credited hypothesis. This one refers to Calauris, an island in the Aegean Sea, reflecting the influence of Magna Graecia.
As with other southern Italian wines, Nero d’Avola has had a past of alcoholic and robust wines, which served to enrich the body and structure of red wines from northern Italy and beyond.
Starting around the 1980s, somewhat like in all Sicilian viticulture, there was a reversal. Led by some of the island’s luminary producers, the focus has shifted from a quantity purpose to grape quality, limiting yields, innovating vineyard management and cellar practices.
The door was gradually closed to wines that were too alcoholic, sometimes so powerful that they could not even be served for pairings, to start with wines with a lower sugar content, where in their pure expressions it is possible to appreciate all its aromas, all its nuances.
An evolution that over the years has led Nero d’Avola to be today the most identifiable red wine of Sicily. An evolution that we have also recalled in our Nedda. But we will get to that in a moment.
Characteristics of Nero d’Avola
Nero d’Avola is a variety that we might call “territorial.” What does that mean?
It means that it succeeds in expressing itself with different nuances depending on the different context in which the grapes grow; that is, it succeeds in letting its terroir shine through.
The variety is widespread throughout Sicily. As styles of Nero d’Avola generally tend to distinguish three macro-areas:
– Southeastern Sicily: they are generally finer and more articulate, with distinct floral and spicy notes;
– Central Sicily: they tend to have an intense color with the highest alcohol content, and soft tannins that allow for good aging potential;
– Western Sicily: they generally verge more on fruity notes and are soft on the palate.
Baglio Diar’s Nero d’Avola wines: Nedda and Lia
We at Baglio Diar have also decided to give special emphasis to Nero d’Avola, with as many as two different expressions within our Wine Art line: a red, Nedda, and a rosé, Lia.
Our Wine Art line also wants to be on the label a reference to Sicilian literature. Each woman depicted, is a female character written in the novels of Sicilian writers Verga and Pirandello.
Each of them embodies the colors of a Sicilian and therefore Mediterranean woman, with hints of the notes that can be appreciated in the tasting.
In the hair and in the dress, in fact, there are some of the fruits or flowers that recall the aromas of the wine.
Nedda
Our Nedda is an organic (and vegan!) red wine born from a pure expression of Nero d’Avola.
The grapes are grown around Marsala and Salemi, in the hills about 200 meters above the sea level, on a mostly clay soils.
Here the grapes benefit from a pleasant and refreshing sea breeze throughout the year.
We also age our Nero d’Avola for three months in stainless steel tanks and then another five months in small American oak barrels; at the end, it rests at least two months in the bottle before being ready.
Our choice is dictated by wanting to create a round, soft Nero d’Avola with elegant tannins and a ripe cherry aftertaste, where red fruit scents of such as black cherry, blackberry or prune stand out on the nose, enriched by a bouquet of aromas that also includes vanilla and cloves.
Do you know why we named it “Nedda”?
As with every other wine in this selection, we associated the woman with the wine based on what her personality or story is in the novella.
Do you remember the Nero d’Avola story I was telling earlier? About a variety that was once very alcoholic and not very pleasant, which over time evolved to become the flagship red wine of Sicily? Well Nedda in the novel has a similar story.
Born into very humble circumstances, she earned her living working in the fields, picking olives. In time, however, she married and managed to improve her family’s wellbeing.
(Find out more about our Nedda here)
Lia
Lia is the latest addition to our Wine Art selection. It comes from a different interpretation of Nero d’Avola, a hint to the extraordinary versatility of this grape variety.
This time we are in Mazara del Vallo, where the soils are characterized by a predominantly sandy component and the vineyards are very close to the sea.
This is a rosé that wants to be outside the box: claret to the eye, light and lively on the palate, rich and persistent in aromas and flavors, where notes of small fresh red fruits such as strawberry or mint on the nose, and a lingering aftertaste of black cherry, pomegranate and fennel make this rosé truly unique.
Why Lia?
Lia was the youngest of the Malavoglias, the last of five siblings. She stood out, however, for her extraordinary beauty and sensitive personality, unlike her brothers.
Somewhat like Lia, this is a light and delicate rosé, with a personality that we could almost call “sensitive”; on the other hand, it is characterized by this extraordinary “beauty” of scents on the nose, and a distinctive and persistent aftertaste of black cherry and pomegranate on the palate.
(Find out more about our Lia here)
How to pair Nero d’Avola rosé and red
Pairing Lia Nero d’Avola Rosé
Our rosé can be an excellent partner with spicy main courses, where its distinct aromaticity nicely balances the spicy component of the dish, and with tomato sauces.
You could also try it with raw shrimp or gourmet exotic fruit salads, or even more simply drink it alone as an aperitif.
Pairing Nedda Nero d’Avola Red
Our red, on the other hand, is the wine for you if you need body and smoothness to pair with spicy game dishes, grilled meats or baked stuffed vegetables.
If it’s in your taste you might also consider to try it with hard cheeses, such as one aged for 24 months or more.
Discover Nedda and Lia on our Wine Club