Region: Sicily, Italy

Grape Varieties: 60% Nero d’Avola & 40% Frappato

Explorers Club members will remember the wines of the Madaudo family, who produce this week’s second feature. Last February we tasted their dynamite example of Nerello Mascalese, grown on the slopes of Mount Etna, and this time around we will focus on the Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG, located on the warm southern coast of the island. This is the only DOCG-rated red wine of Sicily and is a blend of 60% Nero d’Avola and 40% Frappato, sourced from the family’s estate vineyards outside Vittoria. Similar to the La Quercia detailed above, this wine is dry farmed and minimal intervention is used in the vineyard.

In the winery, oenologist Vito Giovinco chooses to vinify and mature this wine completely in stainless steel, in order to preserve the volcanic terroir of the region. Unlike some other DOCG wines of Italy, which require maturation in barrel before release, Cerasuolo di Vittoria only requires 8 months of maturation before release, allowing for a bit more flexibility on the part of the winemaker. When you open this wine, you will want to decant for up to half an hour, after which this wine displays notes of dark plum, fresh red cherry, tobacco leaf, and black pepper. Drink 2025-2029 with grilled pork chops, spicy chicken sausage, or gnocchi with basil and tomato sauce.