The 2016 Nero d'Avola Chiaramonte is an enormous wine that feels exaggerated in terms of the richness of its texture and the boldness of its black fruit aromas. This wine is super concentrated and extracted, denoting a retro style or personality. The bouquet is enriched with thick layers of sweet chewing tobacco, campfire ash and blackberry preserves. Some 500,000 bottles were made.

The entry-level 2014 Nero d'Avola Chiaramonte is one of my favorite wines from Firriato this year. This IGT Terre Siciliane red offers dark fruit nuances followed by bold oak tones of spice and tobacco. The mouthfeel is characterized by thick lines and soft contours. There is a lot of oak here (it ages in American oak for six months) but it does not overtake the fruit.

The 2013 Nero d'Avola Chiaramonte is a genuine and authentic interpretation of the Sicilian grape with distinctive aromas of dried cherry, wild fennel, caper and black olive. Chiaramonte offers a smooth and simple entry to the palate with a tight and slightly raw mouthfeel. It offers freshness and energy with loads of Nero d'Avola typicity.