Nero d'Avola Merlot di Sicilia IGT
Grapes stretch for as far as the eye can see over Sicily’s rich, colourful landscape, dominated by the majestic presence of Mount Etna. Grapes grown in Sicily are mostly native, with some international varieties now achieving great success. The Nero d’Avola and Merlot grapes are both grown in the Vittoria region of southern Sicily, between the towns of Gela and Vittoria. Both towns have a history of ancient winemaking traditions and are well known for the production of excellent red wines. Correct management of the vineyards is essential during the intensely hot summer period in Sicily. It is vital to work the soil in the vineyards throughout the summer period in order to avoid dehydration which can compromise the final ripening of the grapes. Down in Sicily the grapes run a serious risk of sunburn. Therefore the leaves must be managed in such a way that they provide enough shade to protect the grapes
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Grapes Nero d'Avola and Merlot. Vineyard areas Both the Nero d’Avola and Merlot grapes are grown in southern Sicily, between the towns of Gela and Vittoria. The vineyards lie quite close to the sea, which has a great influence on the microclimate of the area. The soil is sandy and arid, but at the same time rich in minerals. Vines are trained by the traditional “Alberello basso” method, producing about 60hl/ha Harvest Both grape varieties are carefully harvested by hand in mid September. Partial picking is employed whereby the vineyards are picked several times over, so that only bunches of perfectly mature grapes are selected. Vinification Each grape variety is vinified separately. In both cases grapes are de-stemmed, but not crushed, allowing some to remain intact, and selected yeasts (different yeast strains are used for each grape variety) are added. Maceration lasts approximately 10 days for the Nero d’Avola and 18-20 days for the Merlot. Fermentation The must is fermented at 28/30°C, with remontage occurring at the beginning and delestage from 5% alcohol until fermentation is complete. Malolactic fermentation occurs in both wines immediately after primary fermentation, after which the two wines are blended together. Alcohol 13%