Nero d'Avola Wines Tasted and Reviewed

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The author, a California wine lover, reviews two Nero d'Avola wines - one from the Ruggero di Tasso winery and one from Cataldo that he sampled at a restaurant in Beverly Hills. While the Ruggero di Tasso showed some Syrah-like characteristics that the author enjoyed, he found the Cataldo to be too thin and light-bodied for his taste, preferring a fuller-bodied red wine.

Why it matters

The article provides insight into how a California wine drinker perceives and compares two examples of Sicily's most important red wine grape, Nero d'Avola, which is gaining popularity worldwide as a standalone varietal wine. It highlights the differing preferences and expectations that wine enthusiasts from different regions may have when exploring new wine styles.

The details

The author first reviews the Ruggero di Tasso Archeo Nero d'Avola 2007, which he finds to have Syrah-like pepper notes along with ripe berry flavors, as well as an intriguing vegetal quality. He describes the texture as smooth but the mouthfeel as medium, leaving him wanting something more substantial. Overall, he finds it a serviceable wine, especially for the under $10 price point. The author then reviews the Cataldo Nero d'Avola 2006 that he sampled at the Il Buco restaurant in Beverly Hills. He finds the wine to have an overly perfumed, fruity nose of blackberries and plum, with a vegetal note on the back end. However, he describes the taste as "thin and watery," not aligning with his preference for fuller-bodied red wines.

• The Ruggero di Tasso wine is from the 2007 vintage.
• The Cataldo wine is from the 2006 vintage.

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