Rapitalà Alto Reale Nero D’Avola 2024

Rapitala Alto Reale is a varietal Nero d'Avola from the Tenuta Rapitala estate in western Sicily, bottled under the IGT Terre Siciliane. The property was rebuilt after the 1968 Belice earthquake by Count Hugues Bernard de la Gatinais and Gigi Guarrasi, who combined native Sicilian grapes with French winemaking method. Nero d'Avola is Sicily's flagship dark grape, suited to the island's hot, dry summers and strong sunshine, which ripen the fruit fully and give the wine its depth of colour and ripe character. This is the young, unoaked expression, fermented and held without significant barrel ageing so the fruit stays forward and the tannins supple. The 2024 pours deep ruby. The nose leads with ripe cherry, plum and red berries, framed by black pepper, liquorice and a savoury earthy note typical of the variety. The palate is medium to full bodied, warm at 13.5 percent, with soft tannins and a peppery, slightly dry finish. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees, opening the bottle a short while ahead. It works well with grilled and roast meats, tomato based pasta and hard sheep's cheeses.