This wine was featured prominently on the TJ shelves during a recent visit, and I remember reading on some other blogs that it was a good go-to "pizza wine." The Nero d'Avola is the native grape grown in Sicily. If you're looking for something like a Sangiovese or Barolo, this is very different. The Nero d'Avola is compared more to a modern day Syrah. The label says lots of berry, soft tannis, and a lightly jammy finish. At first taste, I got more pepper and spice than anything. But after a few minutes of opening up in the glass the dry red fruit comes through nicely and combines very well with the spice/pepper. A little more tannic than I was expecting, but all balanced in the end. I got the jammy throughout and just not on the finish. You could almost mistake this for a Zin/Syrah blend. I think this wine can hold even more than just a "pizza wine" as it did just fine along side my homemade chicken parm. And at $3.99 - a fantastic QPR. VERDICT: Get it!
