This wine is astonishing - rich concentrated red berry fruit is balanced with tannins with just enough grip, followed by a lovely freshness. The flavours are hearty and rich with a slight rustic hint that only comes from Sicily yet the finish is refreshing and clean. To be honest it's barely believable such flavours can be produced at such a good price, but then that's the benefit of Sicily at the moment as they break into the market with their individualistic wines.
This wonderful hedonistic red is made from partially dried, late harvest Nero d'Avola and Fresh Frapatto grapes grown at high altitude in the Sicilian Hills.
Baglio Gibellina is surrounded by the hills of Salemi and Santa Ninfa on the east of Sicily, closer to Tunis than mainland Italy. The landscape is dotted with vineyards, olive groves, citrus trees and juniper trees. The baglio is the inner courtyard of the farmhouse surrounded by a series of store rooms.
The very low yielding old vineyards are on the hills between 300 to 600 metres above sea level. The Nero d'Avola grapes ( 70% ) are left on the vines for a light withering and natural dehydration to create intense concentration. The Frappato ( 30% ) on the other hand is harvested at the earliest point, so that all the typical freshness remains in the must.
The two grapes are vinified separately until the time is right for them to be slowly blended in the particular proportions each year to make this particular, utterly individual wine.
