Nero Oro Appassimento 2020, Sicily

Description

If you like inky, plush Italian reds, then chances are you’ve come across Amarone. It’s made by letting some grapes dry out on the vine and by drying a portion of the grapes in the sun – a process called appassimento. But it’s less well known that the tradition of making wines this way also has a rich Sicilian heritage. For centuries, island winemakers have used appassimento to make sweet dessert wines. But this – an appassimento Nero d’Avola – is something entirely new. Nero d’Avola is the island’s signature red. It’s perfect with the island’s rich tomato-and-aubergine-based ragùs. But this appassimento style has the flavour dial turned up. Drying the grapes supercharges all the flavours. You’ll be hit by those intense cherry and blackcurrant aromas the minute you pour a glass.