WINE OF THE WEEK - 2018 Planeta Plumbago Nero D’Avola

Nov 6

This week’s wine screamed my name, loud and strong, as soon as it hit the LCBO’s shelves. As soon as I saw it, I knew I had to get it.

Why the passion, you wonder? Well, I’ve had this wine before, some time ago, when a sommelier friend of min introduced it into my life and I was blown away. Though it was a different vintage, with this solid a producer, you can pretty much be guaranteed a consistent level of quality. This is truly a wonderful little Nero D’Avola that I frankly think should not be missed. And it is very, very, well priced.

Hopefully, I’ve peaked your curiousity! And with that, let’s get into this week’s pick!

2018 Planeta Plumbago Nero D’Avola

This week’s wine comes from Sicily, Italy. I’ve written about Sicily before so if you’re a regular reader of this blog, perhaps you’ve heard me wax poetic about it already. If not, Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean, is a hot bed of really interesting and great wines. It’s a place I’d love to get to someday but for now, I’ll have to just drink this island’s wines and dream. This week’s wine is a great way to do that. Read on to learn all that you need to know about this wine!

What does this wine cost?

$24.95/bottle.

What in the (wine) world is Nero D’Avola?

Nero D’Avola, which translates to “Black of Avola” in English, is a black-skinned grape variety that is indigenous to Italy and is often said to be the most important red grape variety in Sicily. Avola, which it takes its name from, is a small town in the south of Sicily which is thought to be the main place in which Nero D’Avola first prospered, though now it is found throughout the island.

Where does this wine come from?

To say this wine comes from Sicily is like trying to cut cake with a blunt object! Sicily is a huge island, with loads of different terroirs and climatic regions, so we can and should get a bit more precise than that. More specifically, this wine comes from the commune of Menfi, which is essentially a small historic seaside town that is located on the south coast of Sicily. The climate here is warm and temperate, with rainfall being common in the winter months.

Why is this wine unique?

To keep it simple, this wine is made by one of Sicily’s top producers and it is also a 100% expression of what some might consider to be an obscure grape variety.

Who makes this wine?

Owned by a family with centuries long deep roots in the Sicilian agricultural scene, Planeta is a vast enterprise that has wineries and vineyards, not to mention olive groves and hospitality ventures, throughout the island of Sicily. Click here to learn more about Planeta.

A few Wine Geek “essential facts” about the wine (feel free to skip this if you don’t care about detailed wine-making information!):

Variety - 100% Nero D’Avola

Soil Type - pebbles, some limestone

Vinification - vinified in stainless steel before being aged for 10 months in third and fourth use oak barrels

ABV - 13.5%

Residual Sugar - 3 g/L

“Plumbago” is a local flower located around the winery where this wine is made.

My tasting notes:

Bright ruby red in colour, this wine has an inviting nose of plums, cherries, blackberries, jasmine and baking spices. On the palate, this wine is smooth, full bodied, fruity and complex - it will keep you coming back for more! The palate delivers notes of plums, blackberries, sweet tobacco and tea. The tannins are muscular and the acidity is ripe, making for a wine that can hold its own with strong food.

Aging potential:

You could hold this for a few years but I say just go ahead and drink it now. It’s ready.

Recommendations to Wineitupanotch:

Pair this wine with grilled red meat and you can’t go wrong. It’s also a great match for charcuterie and strong cheeses and would also do well with mushroom risotto.

Wineitupanotch Wine Score: 89 points

This wine has body and soul. It is also in such a beautifully labelled bottle. A very nice wine all around, indeed.

If you’re located in Ontario, you can find this wine at the LCBO under Product #19491.

FINAL VERDICT:

This wine is delicious and would be so good with all types of italian fare! It didn’t last very long in my home, that’s for sure!

If you’ve tried this wine already, or decide to pick it up and try it after reading this post, I’d love to hear from you and hear what you think of it! Please do drop me a line.

Until next time, wishing you love, light and of course - good wine! :)

Cheers!

XOXO