For a long time, Sicily was the underdog; it produced a lot of wine, but true success for this now-high-flyer in the wine world was long in coming. And that was strange, because this Italian island had already been producing plenty of wine in previous centuries. Fortunately, in recent decades, more and more winegrowers have focused on quality, which today pays off in excellent wines that you can truly enjoy.
One of the great successes of this century on the island of Sicily is the Purato winery. Although housed in a 17th-century farmhouse, this winery was already producing wine at a time when Sicily was still a vast kingdom stretching from Pescara and Naples, through Puglia, to Sicily. This old farmhouse came into the hands of Stefano and Marina Girelli in 2002. They had a clear vision: to produce sustainable wines of exceptionally high quality. Their hard work paid off in 2009, when Purato wines were officially certified organic.
This red wine from Purato is made from the Nero D'Avola grape; you won't find it more authentic. This grape is the island's regional pride and is rarely found outside Sicily. The Sicilians have done a great job making Nero D'Avola popular! The grapes are only harvested by hand at the end of October. During the fermentation process, the juice is regularly pumped over to give the wine that little something extra.
