Region: Sicily, Italy

Varietal: 100% Nero d’Avola

Tasting notes: Rosè di Nere' is an elegant wine characterised by its pale rosé colour and subtle peach highlights. Intense, with immediate freshness and a bouquet of ripe, elegant fruit. In the mouth, the wine is enveloping and well-rounded with citrus notes of pink grapefruit. Very long and beautiful finish.

Producer: Just over a mile from the sea on the southern tip of the island of Sicily, Antonio Moretti, owner of Tenuta Sette Ponti and Poggio al Lupo in Tuscany, established Feudo Maccari in 2000. This 250-acre estate was assembled from numerous owners and more than 50 separate plots on the southerly hillsides near the town of Noto. Vines existed in some parcels, and others were planted to the native Nero d’Avola and other selected red grape varieties.

Vineyard and Winemaking: The Nero d’Avola vines are 25-30 years old, planted with a southern exposure at 80 meters above sea level. Yields are 6.6 tons/acre, to encourage aromatic depth and flavor complexity. In the spring, the vines are pruned to one bud per plant, and in June/July, a green harvest eliminates lesser grapes. Twenty days prior to harvest, there's an additional cluster thinning, or a selection of the best grapes in the bunch. To develop superior aromas and texture, the wine is aged in steel tanks rather than oak to retain the grape's fresh, crisp and fruity characters.