Bonavita is located on only 2.5 ha of land in northeastern Sicily near Messina and owned by Giovanni Scarfone – one winemaker determined to bring back the use of local grapes that have almost become extinct.

This wine is comprised of local grapes Nerello Mascalese (60%), Nerello Capuccio (30%), and Nocera (10%) grapes, although some sites claim the blend is 70-20-10.

Nocera is a late ripener and adds a little zing to the blend.   Only about 4,000 bottles were made – fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged in barriques and puncheons.

This beauty is a medium garnet colour with fragrant aromas of red berries, red plums, violets and good nose-tingling menthol tinged, herbal minerality.

The palate is dry and slightly more expressive than the nose with elegant tannins and a svelte body.  Flavours show raspberry and cherry with scrapings of black licorice and tar with dried herbal character.

The wine evolves as it stays open and a lengthy finish complements it – WSET Very Good plus.  Would be great lightly chilled too for summertime drinking, but don’t dare waste it in sangria!