Zabu Nero d’Avola [75cl] Italy
The vineyards for Vigneti Zabu were planted in 2005 on the hills around Lake Arancio in Sambuca di Sicilia in southwestern Sicily.
At Vigneti Zabu, variations in temperature and rainfall seemed to occur at unexpected moments which happened to be at just the right time for the vines. A combination of the heat and a shortage of rain reduced the occurrence of disease. In areas where the flowering was impeded by poor weather conditions, the bunches were sparse and uneven. The vineyards benefit due to their proximity to Lake Arancio, where the microclimate has temperature variations even in the middle of the summer, and provides a vital source of water for the vineyards. Heat throughout the last two weeks of July and the whole of August brought harvest forward with the Nero d’Avola and Nerello Mascalese grapes being harvested in early September. Despite the early harvest, the grapes harvested at Zabu were even better quality than those harvested in 2011.
Vinification : The Nero d’Avola grapes were soft pressed on arrival at the winery, then fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel, with gentle, regular pumping over during fermentation and a maceration of 10-12 days on the skins. The wine remained in stainless steel tank until bottling.
Tasting Notes Deep ruby red in colour. Fresh and unoaked, the plummy flavours of this wine are preserved by the wine-making. A soft, supple wine made in a modern style.
