Country: US / Estate Bottled
Variety: Nero d’Avola California
Winery: Chiarito / Mendocino
John Chiarito is the first American to petition for the right to label his wine Nero d’Avola, a variety he grows just outside of the town of Ukiah in eastern Mendocino and a nod to his family’s Southern Italian heritage (the grape is native to Sicily). Here he’s made an outstandingly intriguing, rustic, big fruit, high-acid red that’ll surprise you as it opens, very Old World and definitely worth a try if you can find it. Only 60 cases produced.