Why Will Sicilian Red Wine Be in Fashion in Spring 2021?

Spring is upon us and there’s a really uplifting feeling to it this time around.

At this point in 2020, the world was just starting to adjust to the pandemic. We were all trying to figure out what life would look like as we changed our routines and altered the way we do things. 

For the entire year, the coronavirus was at the forefront of our minds.

But 2021 brought with it new hope.

Vaccines have been created and are now in wide circulation. As we enter the spring of 2021, there is a true hope that we will finally be able to continue on with our lives as we always had.

We have turned the corner.

And this means we can turn our minds to other things. The gorgeous sunshine and blossoming of new life feel almost symbolic of the sentiment that exists as we hope that we’re nearing the end of one of the most difficult periods in recent memory. And we are finally allowing ourselves to think more about the finer things in life again.

Great food…

The company of those we love…

The fashions that inspire us…

And the gorgeous wines that have for so long helped us to both confront the bad times and enjoy the good.

We believe that the spring of 2021 is the perfect time for you to embark on a journey of discovery. To sample Italian wines that you have never tried before and to revel in the hope that the season brings.

And there is no better place to start than Sicily. 

For too long, people saw Sicily as an also-ran in the Italian wine pantheon. The wines produced in the region were reduced to mere table wines and the respect the great island held diminished. But in more recent years, Sicily has roared back onto the scene as a wine region that contains true talent and many stunning Italian red wines just waiting to be discovered.

Here, we examine why Sicily is where you should turn if you want to discover a great new Italian red wine for spring 2021.

Reason #1 – Sicily’s Recent Journey Represents Ours

Much like many of us have struggled through difficult times over the past year, so too has Sicily endured hardship during its time in the global wine establishment. In days gone by, the wines from this region were lauded for their quality and enjoyed by people all over Europe.

But as we mentioned earlier, that reputation was damaged during the latter half of the 20^th century.

A focus on quantity ahead of quality led to Sicilian red wines being seen as good enough for the table and little else. And while we would argue that this was an unfair generalisation, as many great wines still emerged from the region during this period, it is also true to say that overall standards appeared to slip.

Sicily lost a lot of respect during this time.

But with the dawning of the new millennium, a change occurred.

Collectively, the island’s producers seemed to dedicate themselves back to the quality that had previously been a hallmark of the island’s wines. And slowly, but surely, Sicily re-emerged as a region that is capable of adding to the list of the many great red wines that come from Italy.

Today, Sicily has enjoyed the blossoming of its own spring and is now ready to reap the rewards of a glorious summer in which the respect it once commanded is restored. As you head into spring 2021 with hope for the possibilities that the rest of the year will bring, there is no better region to represent those hopes than the one that has come through great difficulty and managed to come out the other side.

Reason #2 – The Nero d’Avola Grape

We have looked at the symbolic reasons why Sicily is a territory that is worthy of your attention.

Now, let’s look at something a little more practical.

While there are many red wine grapes that Sicilian producers use to make their unique wines, there is one that stands above the others as being perfectly representative of the island:

Nero d’Avola.

Literally translated to “Black of Avola”, this gorgeous grape is the source of wines that are quite unlike anything else you may get in Italy. Wines made using this grape are characterised by a dark, almost inky red colouring that captivates the eye. And yet, it is also a very versatile grape. Its powerful tannins and robust body combine with medium acidity to create a grape that is capable of accentuating the qualities of lighter wines or deepening the complexities of heavier drinks.

Taken alone, the grape offers interesting notes of cherry, strawberry, and raspberry. However, certain, more concentrated, production methods allow these dominant notes to give way to notes of spice, chocolate, and, in some cases, coffee.

Our point?

This is a grape varietal that is extremely expressive while also being highly malleable. The wines made using this grape alone provide you with a unique insight into the Sicilian terroir and the qualities that it has to offer when a producer takes real care to produce a stunning wine. And when combined with other varietals, the Nero d’Avola has the remarkable ability to bring out the qualities of other grapes while still allowing its own to shine through.

It is a grape that is very worthy of your attention.

And it is also a grape that you may not experience unless you explore the world of Sicilian wine.

Sicily is Back in Fashion

Once seen as one of the most unfashionable wine regions in the world, Sicily has shown true resilience to bounce back and force the world to stand up and take notice.

That is why it is the perfect region to explore as we, as a collective people, prepare to bounce back from what has happened over the last year.

You’ve shown amazing resilience to overcome the challenges of 2020.

In spring 2021, celebrate with a Sicilian red wine that aligns with those qualities.