Nose

The bouquet offers aromas of black currants, plums and anise with a hint of vanilla.

Palate

Bright ripe blackberry, dusty earth, opening up to plum, espresso bean, dark
chocolate and soft spices. Well balanced acidity and tannins. The finish is defined by the rich lingering full-bodied flavors which coat the palate.

Growing Conditions

Nero d'Avola ("Black of Avola in Italian) is "the most important red wine
grape in Sicily and is one of Italy's most significant indigenous varieties.” It
is named after the town of Avola in the far south of Sicily and its wines are
compared to New World Shirazes, with sweet tannins and plum or peppery
flavors. "The Black Grape of Avola" appears to have been selected by
growers near Avola several hundred years ago. Initially, it was confined to
the southern tip of the island but more recently has spread throughout
southern Italy, it is also know as the Calabrese.

The grapes for the Paoletti Nero D’Avola are sourced from our estate
vineyard on Tubbs Lane in Calistoga. The deep, well drained soils are dry
farmed and provide the Nero d’Avola with a warm climate allowing for later
maturity and ripeness. The cuttings for our vineyard were brought directly
from Sicily almost 18 years ago and are an exclusive to the Paoletti Estates
Winery.

Bottling

Bottled May 2014.

Winemaking

The grapes were hand-picked at the peak of ripeness, destemmed, cold
soaked, fermented to dryness and gently pressed.

Aging

The wine was aged 18 months in our
caves in a combination of 40% new French and 60% neutral French oak
barrels.

Appearance

Our Nero d’Avola is an intensely dark ruby colored wine with deep purple hues. and is an ideal compliment to foods such as pasta with a ragu meat sauce, roasted red meat dishes and seasoned cheeses.

Food Pairing

An ideal compliment to foods such as pasta with a ragu meat sauce, roasted red meat dishes and seasoned cheeses.