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Nero d’Avola is a red-wine grape originating on Sicily, originally from the town of Avola. It is generally considered one of the dozen and a half or so of world-class red-wine grapes.
Though many centuries old, Nero only emerged onto the world stage perhaps three decades ago. Prior to that, it was important, but only as a blending wine; now it is a “hot” monovarietal.
Though Sicily may seem a relatively small place, it has quite a few fairly different microclimates, and the better wines from the island (including, of course, Nero) reflect those terroires, so the wines are far from fungible.
The flavor qualities of a Nero d’Avola are distinctive, though (as always) not so easy to define. They tend to soft roundness and moderate alcohol levels, and are not as acidic as some Italiante reds. There is classically a dark-cherry element to the fruit, but also a pleasing quality of what some call earthiness, some smokiness, and others “dust”; many associate that defining note with the volcanic soil that pervades Sicily, but that may be only psychological (volcano dust = dusty flavor). Nero wines almost all drink quite well when young, but the best will reward cellaring.
Factoid: Nero d’Avola is used in many of the fortified-wine blends sold as Marsala.
“Nero D’Avola produces dark red wines that are fairly high in alcohol (around 14%, and sometimes more) but also relatively high in acidity, which means they're not quite as overpowering as other high-octane reds like Zinfandel or Syrah. They're also intensely aromatic, with powerful, seductive aromas of cherry, raspberry and spice that practically billow out of the glass. They're usually quite soft and approachable—sometimes so soft that more tannic grapes such as Syrah are blended in to give the wines structure.”
“It is often compared to Syrah because it likes similar growing conditions (Sicily has a hot Mediterranean climate) and exhibits many similar characteristics. Depending on production methods, Nero d’Avola can be made into dense and dark wine that is stored in oak barrels and suitable for aging, or young and fresh wines. Younger wines show plum and juicy red-fruit flavors, while more complex examples offer chocolate and dark raspberry flavors. Nero D’Avola typically has high tannins, medium acid and a strong body. However, it can also be very smooth if grown at higher elevations where the air is cooler and alcohol levels are restricted.”
“Nero D’Avola is one of those reds that you either love or hate. It's not pretentious. It can only be itself, and it can overpower, as well as complement, mild cuisine. It seems made to accompany lamb, venison and stronger beef dishes—things like a thick Texan steak with wild mushrooms. Nowadays, with culinary rules cast aside, there's really no entrenched wisdom, but our conservative opinion is that Nero D’Avola is destined to be appreciated by wine lovers in search of a ‘real’ red with about a thirteen percent alcohol content. This is one of those wines that would lose its luster if it were made from grapes grown anywhere but Sicily, with its unique [volcanic] soil.”
“[T]his grape makes a rich, perfumed and velvety red wine that's easy to drink but that can take a bit of aging, works well in blends with other grapes, and can benefit from (but does not require) the judicious use of oak. That's a lot to like in a wine grape, and it's a description that could just as easily fit many of the most desirable red varieties.”
“There's some range in the wines -- from medium and fruity to rich and spicy -- this hot-weather loving grape never disappoints…The warm climate ensures fruity, full, higher alcohol wines (more ripeness = more sugar to be converted to alcohol in fermentation) and that's a winning bet for California, Australia, or Argentina wine lovers. The difference: there is always a touch of earth in these wines which you won't usually find in the New World gems.”
“Thriving in the warm climate, Nero D’Avola can sometimes become over-ripe, resulting in flabby wines that lack balance. But with proper vineyard management, the result is a lush wine with a nice complexity that displays an appealing freshness in its youth.”
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Some Descriptions of Nero d’Avola Wines
“[I]its wines are compared to New World Shirazes, with sweet tannins and plum or peppery flavours.”
“Nero D’Avola produces dark red wines that are fairly high in alcohol (around 14%, and sometimes more) but also relatively high in acidity, which means they're not quite as overpowering as other high-octane reds like Zinfandel or Syrah. They're also intensely aromatic, with powerful, seductive aromas of cherry, raspberry and spice that practically billow out of the glass. They're usually quite soft and approachable—sometimes so soft that more tannic grapes such as Syrah are blended in to give the wines structure.”
“It is often compared to Syrah because it likes similar growing conditions (Sicily has a hot Mediterranean climate) and exhibits many similar characteristics. Depending on production methods, Nero d’Avola can be made into dense and dark wine that is stored in oak barrels and suitable for aging, or young and fresh wines. Younger wines show plum and juicy red-fruit flavors, while more complex examples offer chocolate and dark raspberry flavors. Nero D’Avola typically has high tannins, medium acid and a strong body. However, it can also be very smooth if grown at higher elevations where the air is cooler and alcohol levels are restricted.”
“Nero D’Avola is one of those reds that you either love or hate. It's not pretentious. It can only be itself, and it can overpower, as well as complement, mild cuisine. It seems made to accompany lamb, venison and stronger beef dishes—things like a thick Texan steak with wild mushrooms. Nowadays, with culinary rules cast aside, there's really no entrenched wisdom, but our conservative opinion is that Nero D’Avola is destined to be appreciated by wine lovers in search of a ‘real’ red with about a thirteen percent alcohol content. This is one of those wines that would lose its luster if it were made from grapes grown anywhere but Sicily, with its unique [volcanic] soil.”
“Characteristics of the grape: dark, full-bodied, rich, velvety, black currant, blackberry, boysenberry, blueberry, black pepper, clove.”
“[T]his grape makes a rich, perfumed and velvety red wine that's easy to drink but that can take a bit of aging, works well in blends with other grapes, and can benefit from (but does not require) the judicious use of oak. That's a lot to like in a wine grape, and it's a description that could just as easily fit many of the most desirable red varieties.”
“There's some range in the wines -- from medium and fruity to rich and spicy -- this hot-weather loving grape never disappoints…The warm climate ensures fruity, full, higher alcohol wines (more ripeness = more sugar to be converted to alcohol in fermentation) and that's a winning bet for California, Australia, or Argentina wine lovers. The difference: there is always a touch of earth in these wines which you won't usually find in the New World gems.”
“Thriving in the warm climate, Nero D’Avola can sometimes become over-ripe, resulting in flabby wines that lack balance. But with proper vineyard management, the result is a lush wine with a nice complexity that displays an appealing freshness in its youth.”
“[D]ark in color, big in fruit flavors, well-suited for oak and able to age for several years, although most are good drinking upon release.”