Pairs with: Fisherman's stew

Good for: Watching a storm roll in 

Grape: Nero d’Avola, Frappato

I am from: Sicily, Italy

The story: Giovanni Gurrieri and his family are committed to organic production, farming  native varietals  in the dark rocky soil on the southern coast of Sicily. The property is in the city of Comiso and Nero D’Avola and Frappato are grown on two different sites. The Nero D’Avola, which totals about 2 hectares is grown on a rocky, dark soil. It holds just enough water for the vines to survive the usual 4 to 5 month drought like conditions over summer.  Frappato is planted down a dirt road and is a different story altogether -- one finds a lighter, sandy soil so thick that you can easily lose your footing. It is very “beachy” here and extremely well draining. Frappato seems to thrive in this soil as it brings out the best of this underappreciated varietal.

Why you'll love me: This is Gurrieri's traditional Cerasuolo, a 50/50 red blend of the two prized grapes from the region. This blend is so Sicilian it hurts. It’s on the lighter side, but is certainly affected by days of dry, sweltering heat, without being overly sweet. There is a nice mix between the spice and fresh, bright red fruits characteristic of Frappato and the more robust, mature aspects of Nero D’Avola.