Nero d'Avola 'Vrucara' Feudo Montoni 2021

The Sicilian red Nero d’Avola “Vrucara” Feudo Montoni is one of those bottles that, once finished, is not easy to forget. It comes from vines that predate phylloxera and tells the story of the territory from which it originates with a unique wealth of details: smelling the wine, one can sense the same balsamic aroma that surrounds the vineyard where Nero d’Avola grows, brought by the bushes of “vruca”, a herb that manages to impart fragrances to the grapes that thrive among the rows. A big applause goes to Feudo Montoni, capable of describing the excellence of Sicilian winemaking through consistently focused labels.

The “Vrucara” Feudo Montoni is a Nero d’Avola that grows in a plot – a true “cru” dedicated to its cultivation – whose name is given to the wine. “Vrucara” comes from “vruca”, a name that, in Sicilian dialect, indicates those bushes that spontaneously grow around the vineyard, with the characteristic menthol aromas that are then found in the wine, giving it a strong territorial imprint. The vines are still “pre-phylloxera”, thus representing an additional value for this wine, and they grow with theclassic bush training system. The pressing is done with an ancient press and the must ferments in cement, macerating for 25 days. The final aging takes place first for 45 months in cement tanks, continues for a semester in barrel, and ends with another 6 months spent directly in glass.

This Nero d’Avola “Vrucara” Feudo Montoni presents itself to the eye with a concentrated ruby red color, possessing good intensity. The nose opens up to a balsamic array, from which fruity olfactory hints and spicier touches emerge, while in the finish, there is also a nuance reminiscent of incense. On the palate, it has excellent structure, with an austere and imposing sip, entering the mouth with the fabric of a classy wine, where freshness and aromatic veins prolong a very persistent aftertaste. A label that is strongly territorial and identity-driven, to be tasted without hesitation!