Nero d’Avola
Definition - What does Nero d’Avola mean?
Nero d’Avola is a red wine grape variety native to Avola in Sicily, Italy. This red wine grape is characterized by its deep, dark red color and rich, fruity and spicy flavor. Nero d’Avola grows very well in the warm sunny climate of Sicily, and the grapes are very sweet at harvest, producing high alcohol wines. Traditionally Nero d’Avola was added to weaker red wines to boost color, alcohol and flavor.
WineFrog explains Nero d’Avola
Nero d’Avola is a native to Sicily and is named both for it’s deep red, almost black color and the town in which it originates. Nero means "black", and the town it originated from is Avola, hence, d’Avola.
The vine thrives in the hot climate in southeast Italy and produces grapes that have a high brix at harvest, so much so that the grapes were traditionally harvested at night so fermentation could begin at a cooler temperature. Considered one of the most important wine grapes in Italy, it was often used in blends to boost alcohol, color and flavor, but, due to innovations in winemaking, has gained popularity as a single varietal wine. Often compared to Shiraz, Nero dAvola wines are popular drinking wines that feature sweet balanced tannins, with plummy fruit flavors and a hint of spice.
