From: Sicily, Italy
Varietals: 70% Nero d’Avola, 30% Frappato di Vittoria
Taste: A cherry red color with light violet hints. This wine has aromas of red fruits, and marasca cherry, hints of spice, with floral undertones and a harmonic, elegant palate. Great light weeknight wine.
Pairing: This light and fragrant wine pairs well with the simplest and tastiest first courses, like margherita pizza, cured meats, and fish dishes with lightly aromatic seasoning. This wine might also be paired with grilled chestnuts for an intriguing "autumnal" combination.
About. Gulfi is a wine producer based just north of the town of Chiaramonte (itself just over 16km/10 miles north of Ragusa) in southeastern Sicily. The estate cultivates approximately 70 hectares (173 acres) of vineyards planted to native Sicilian grape varieties like Frappato, Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio, Carricante and, most importantly, Nero d'Avola.
The winery was founded in 1996 by local entrepreneur, the late Vito Catania. Catania, who died in 2017 (the estate is now run by the Catania family) initially enlisted the aid of well-known Etna winemaker Salvo Foti of I Vigneri.
Today, its vineyards are situated in the winegrowing zones of Noto, Etna and Cerasuolo di Vittoria, and are cultivated using organic farming methods. The vines are trained into small bushes, known as the alberello (or "small tree") system which can only be harvested by hand.
Frappato – Nero d'Avola wines combine two native Sicilian grape varieties, most notably under the island's prestigious Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG. Nero d'Avola is the Italian island's flagship red variety and is found in countless Sicilian blends and varietal wines. Here, it is complemented by the bright, fresh Frappato, which is seen less often on its own.
Nero d’Avola is named after Avola, a small town near Pachino in the province of Siracusa (near Ragusa), where it has been selected by local growers several hundred years ago. Frappato di Vittoria is an old indigenous wine grape variety from the southeast part of Sicily. Probably it originates in the territory of Vittoria (Ragusa), where it has been grown since the XVIIth century.
Vinification: The Nero d’Avola was harvested at the end of September, and the Frappato during the first week of October. Each grape variety was macerated for a short time on its skins during fermentation, and the blend was made at the end of the alcoholic fermentation. The wine then matured for about 7 months on their yeast in stainless steel tanks.
