2019-C Cantine Birgi “Liburna” Nero d'Avola, Sicily, Italy (750ml)   

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This wine has a deep garnet robe color with layered aromas of dark cherry and garrigue. The palate generously offers dark fruit, black raspberry, and hints of oak. This is a charming, medium-bodied wine with ripe fruit, subtle spices, and a refreshing finish.

Cantine Birgi was founded in 1960 on the west side of Sicily, close to the city of Marsala (Trapani), by a group of winemakers dedicated to the rich history and traditions of the territory. Viticulture in the Trapani province became the prevailing form of cultivation around 1773, when the English merchant John Woodhouse, a native from Liverpool, opened a winery in Marsala developing the wine trade. The Marsala wine, thanks to which the city is famous all over the world, was produced for the first time by Woodhouse. During a stormy night, he had to repair his boat in the Marsala port, and had the opportunity to taste the wine produced by local farmers. Finding it similar to Port from the Douro Valley in Portugal, he decided to trademark it!

Traditional Marsala is fortified and often similar to Tawny Port in flavor profile. This wine, however, is a dry red made from 100% Nero d’Avola. The grapes were harvested at perfect aromatic and polyphenolic maturation. The clusters were destemmed and fermented on the skins for 8-10 days at 68-72 °F. The resulting wine underwent malolactic fermentation and was aged for 6 months sur lie before bottling.