Dievole Pinocchio Nero d'Avola 2008
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At Dievole, good wine is the right answer to the right question, whether for vineyard or wine cellar. A good wine is the perfect union of man and nature. Dievole is an enchanted valley and we are committed to finding the right people. All evaluations, from selecting mother vine stock and clones to vintage planning and innovation in vineyards and wine cellar, are determined by one single objective: uplifting standards in the hope of creating a good wine through character and quality.
Aspiring to perfection is second nature to us
Dievole viticulture dates back to the 11th century. The first step taken to cultivate this genetic legacy was to revisit the past found in the historical memory of the farming families. New masters of wine-growing were brought in to counter environmental uniformity and monotony. Its particolar type of terroir includes such ancient classics as Barsaglina, Aleatico, Foglia Tonda, Ciliegiolo, Prugnolo Gentile, Mammolo and Saragiolo. It also covers contemporary classics such as Canaiolo a Raspo Rosso, Malvasia Nera, Syrah, Petit Verdot and the various Sangiovese clones.
Boldly opulent and robust, Nero d’Avola is Sicily’s most widely planted red grape. Nero d’Avola performs well both as a single varietal bottling and in blends. It loves hot, arid climates and Sicily's old vines are aptly head-trained close to the ground, making them resistant to strong winds. A few pioneering producers in California as well as Australia farm Nero d’Avola in the same way. Somm Secret—Nero d’Avola's other name, Calabrese, suggests origins from the mainland region of Calabria.
A large, geographically and climatically diverse island, just off the toe of Italy, Sicily has long been recognized for its fortified Marsala wines. But it is also a wonderful source of diverse, high quality red and white wines. Steadily increasing in popularity over the past few decades, Italy’s fourth largest wine-producing region is finally receiving the accolades it deserves and shining in today's global market.
Though most think of the climate here as simply hot and dry, variations on this sun-drenched island range from cool Mediterranean along the coastlines to more extreme in its inland zones. Of particular note are the various microclimates of Europe's largest volcano, Mount Etna, where vineyards grow on drastically steep hillsides and varying aspects to the Ionian Sea. The more noteworthy red and white Sicilian wines that come from the volcanic soils of Mount Etna include Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio (reds) and Carricante (whites). All share a racy streak of minerality and, at their best, bear resemblance to their respective red and white Burgundies.
Nero d’Avola is the most widely planted red variety, and is great either as single varietal bottling or in blends with other indigenous varieties or even with international ones. For example, Nero d'Avola is blended with the lighter and floral, Frappato grape, to create the elegant, Cerasuolo di Vittoria, one of the more traditional and respected Sicilian wines of the island.
Grillo and Inzolia, the grapes of Marsala, are also used to produce aromatic, crisp dry Sicilian white. Pantelleria, a subtropical island belonging to the province of Sicily, specializes in Moscato di Pantelleria, made from the variety locally known as Zibibbo.