With Hart, James, Zi, Dat and Wern at mine. Bottle from James.

Made from pure Nero d’Avola. I think my first ever. James hand carried this back from Palermo , and was worried this bottle might be past its peak. I don’t know what the peak was, but this was very good, and probably the best made wine of the night.

In the glass: deep garnet

On the nose: BLACKCURRANT PASTILLES! Blackberries. A very very distinct aromatic lift of French oak. I’m very unfamiliar with this winemaker or that region, but I was under the impression that Sicilian winemakers rarely used oak. So I was surprised (and also dead certain) to find that this was so oaked (but in a good way, not the heavy handed way that cough Spanish winemakers cough do). Leather. Earth. Cedar. Does this sound like a Bordeaux? Because I’m fairly certainly no one can differentiate it from one in a blind taste.

On the palate: high concentration of dark fruits. Mid++ intensity. Long finish. Very elegant on the palate. Super well integrated alcohol that, in retrospect, I didn’t even notice. Well done.

A very balanced and well made wine. Also what. Is. With. This. Long. Ass. Bottle.