L'auratae Sicily Nero d'Avola

This one starts with a fun bouquet that includes some notes of char and brûlée, some leather shop, earthy woods, and drying tobacco aromas, some herbal spice like mint and rosemary, and some tart cranberry and raspberry red fruits. The palate keeps things simple and easy, with juicy cranberry and chewy red cherries and hints of smokiness and vanilla, with a medium-short finish. This grape doesn’t seem to have the tannins and phenolics to balance out the charred wood, but overall it’s a solid value that reminds me of a Brunello di Montalcino I had a while back that was about five times the price. It’s a great food wine that goes well with fresh and simple Italian dishes like plain cheese pizza and pasta with marinara. Organic and vegan for anyone interested in that.