2022 Nero’s Fiddle Nero d’Avola

Back in 2017 I was intrigued to see if my theory about certain varieties from warm-climate dry-grown vineyards are ideal for light-bodied red wines, even to be enjoyed with a bit of a chill on it! That ended up being one of my most successful wines, so in 2022 I made my fourth wine from Nero d’Avola grown by the Chalmers family at their Merbein vineyard.

Fruit was hand-picked then transported in a refrigerated truck and delivered to the winery the next day. It was de-stemmed and sat on skins for only five days which accounted for the majority of fermentation. Once pressed it completed its fermentation in a stainless-steel tank, then was transferred to mature French oak puncheons (500L). After spending six months in barrel the wine was racked and blended, then bottled in November 2022.

Nero (full name Nerō Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus) was the last Roman emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, ruling from 54-68 AD). There is a popular legend that during the Great Fire or Rome in 64 AD the Emperor Nero remained behind his palace walls and played his fiddle while Rome burned. Even though it's highly unlikely to be true (much like Marie Antoinette saying "Let them eat cake"), I like the story and it made sense for this wine.