OUR NATURAL RED WINE
WHAT IS A NATURAL WINE?
NATURAL WINES ARE made only with organic/biodynamic grapes, without adding or subtracting anything in the cellar. No additives, no chemicals, no aromas, no selected yeasts, low sulfur, that’s it.
MODUS BIBENDI NERO D’AVOLA 17 from Nero d’Avola grapes
GRAPES VARIETY: Nero d'Avola (100%)
MACERATION for the entire fermentation period - SOIL clay calcareous - AGEING 9 months in chestnut wood tonneau barrels
WINEMAKING natural, spontaneous fermentation
AVAILABLE VINTAGES: 2017(MODUS BIBENDI NERO D’AVOLA), 2018 (MODUS BIBENDI ROSSO)
fig.1: in the photo MODUS BIBENDI ROSSO 18
the idea: WHY WE DECIDED TO MAKE A NERO D’AVOLa NATURAL WINE
Many people call it the “KING” of Sicilian vines, probably because it is the most common red grape variety in Sicily, or perhaps because over the years it has built up its dominant position based on its alcoholic “strength”, its “power” of concentration and “greatness” of its body.These are the reasons why it has long been the emblem of southern wines used to “fortify” the more delicate wines of northern Italy and northern Europe. However, are we sure that this is the true essence of Nero D’Avola?We have always imagined it as a queen who, with her charisma, her elegance, refinement and character, rebellious at times, could make anyone who drank her fall in love with her.In winemaking we try to protect the character of the grapes and the wine and in our opinion Nero d’Avola is not best described as “muscular”.Once we had got rid of the platitude that describes southern wines as “heavy”, we concentrated on the more delicate characteristics of this wine. Paraphrasing a witty remark from a well-known film “the secret to riches is the same as the secret to comedy: timing!”. For Nero D’Avola the timing of the harvest plays a fundamental role in exalting its elegant features rather than its muscular characteristics. Our aim is to preserve the acidity and the feeling of freshness so as to sustain its alcoholic note and polyphenolic composition.But this is not enough: rebellious characters must be tamed and so the wine is aged in chestnut barrels for around nine months. The wine’s exuberance is softened by the barrels and by time, as it matures. The use of chestnut wood was not an accidental choice: it maintains Sicilian authenticity (since it is a wood produced in Sicily and traditionally used for winemaking), and does not intrude upon the wine’s aromatic component.
THE VARIETY: NERO D’AVOLA
Nero d’Avola is a red-wine grape originating on Sicily, originally from the town of Avola. It is generally considered one of the dozen and a half or so of world-class red-wine grapes.
Though many centuries old, Nero only emerged onto the world stage perhaps three decades ago. Prior to that, it was important, but only as a blending wine; now it is a “hot” mono-varietal.
Though Sicily may seem a relatively small place, it has quite a few fairly different microclimates, and the better wines from the island (including, of course, Nero) reflect those terroir, so the wines are far from fungible.
The flavor qualities of a Nero d’Avola are distinctive, though (as always) not so easy to define. They tend to soft roundness and moderate alcohol levels, and are not as acidic as some Italian reds. There is classically a dark-cherry element to the fruit, but also a pleasing quality of what some call earthiness, some smokiness, and others “dust”; many associate that defining note with the volcanic soil that pervades Sicily, but that may be only psychological (volcano dust = dusty flavor). Nero wines almost all drink quite well when young, but the best will reward cellaring.
[variety info credits: thatusefulwinesite.com]
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TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE OTHER WINES
MODUS BIBENDI GRILLO
MODUS BIBENDI BIANCO MACERATO FROM ZIBIBBO/CATARRATTO/GRILLO
KATAMACERATO FROM CATARRATTO
GLOU GLOU ROSSO FROM
NERELLO MASCALESE