WINE: 2007 Cusumano Nero D’AvolaFOOD: Pesto Trapanese
Deep ruby red in color, this Nero D’Avola has an expressive nose of cherries, strawberries and spicy scents. The palate features flavors of tart cherries, a fair amount of bitter-sweet chocolate, and a little pepper. I love to pair foods with wines from the same geographical region. Greg’s classic Silcilian Pesto Trapanese begs for a rustic Sicilian wine that can handle the robust flavors of almonds, garlic and the nuttiness of Pecorino-Romano.
Although Sicily has steadily increased production of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Chardonnay to satisfy international demand, Nero D’Avola is Sicily’s major indigenous red grape. It’s name, “black of Avola,” refers to the small town of Avola in southern Sicily, and the fruit’s very dark color. Stylistically, Nero D’Avola is quite similar to many warm-climate syrahs. Sicily’s indigenous white wine varietal is Inzolia (Insolia), which has a wonderful nuttiness and is a perfect pairing for arancini di riso, another classic Sicilian dish.
GRANT HENRY
PRICE: about $12.00
Also pairs well with: Arancini, barbeque, beef, meatballs, pork, rabbit, savory pasta dishes
Category- Red
Varietal- Nero D’Avola
Region- Sicily, Italy
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