Nero d’Avola is “the most important red wine grape in Sicily, and is one of Italy’s most important indigenous varieties. It is named after Avola, a town in the far south of Sicily and its wines are compared to New World Shiraz, with sweet tannins and plum or peppery flavors. At times, it is also called Calabrese or “from Calabria” which appears to be an Italianisation of Calaurisi, a Sicilian dialect word meaning grape of Avola. “The Black Grape of Avola” seems to have been selected by growers near Avola several hundred years ago. Initially it was confined to the southern tip of Sicily, but more recently has spread throughout the island. Its percentage is uncertain, though for sure there are no significant plantings outside of Sicily.
