Gulfi NeroBaronj 2017
- Region
- Italy » Sicilia » IGP Terre Siciliane
- Type
- red still, dry
- Producer
- Vintage
- 2017
- Grapes
- Nero d'Avola
- Alcohol
- 14
- Sugar
- 1.9
- Volume
- 750 mL
- Cellar
- not available
Vigna Baroni is nestled in Pachino, the heart of Val di Noto, within the picturesque province of Siracusa. Located at an elevation of 30 meters above sea level, the vines are caressed by the temperate-warm breezes of the Mediterranean climate. This ambiance is complemented by calcareous-clayey soils, creating an environment where the vines flourish. At Vigna Baroni, with a density of 8,000 vines per hectare, the yield is approximately 40 quintals per hectare, though this might fluctuate based on the vintage.
The vinification journey begins in the first half of September. The grapes, once plucked from their vines, are treated to a prolonged maceration with their skins, allowing for a rich extraction of flavors. Following malolactic fermentation, the wine is then transferred into small 500 and 225-liter barrels, where it embarks on a maturation process spanning around two years. This meticulous process culminates in a year of horizontal bottle aging, refining the Nero d’Avola's intrinsic qualities, and gifting wine enthusiasts a beverage that embodies the soul of Val di Noto.
Ratings
Over the last year, it's come to flaunt a more rounded persona - now it walks in flaunting notes of black cherry, gouache, and olives with a sidekick of apple pastille, cherry nut, and almond. It's got a bit of a perfumed strut, but it’s the juicy balance that steals the spotlight. It's a fruit and olive medley on the palate, with eucalyptus notes doing a cool minty mic drop (heh). Good balance, almost nailed it.
I can't help myself, but I like these wines. Yes, it's too young with a character of a teenager. But it has its charm and depth that would have evolved if I hadn't finished these bottles so fast. Black bird cherry, medicinal herbs (like liquorice syrup), dark olives, and fried sunflower seeds. Juicy, fresh (to the point that you should decant it), round and well-balanced. Lovely.
About Producer
The fact that my relations with Sicilian wines are special might be something obvious. But not many people know that it all started with Gulfi stand at the very first Kyiv Wine festival. When we met, I was already tired (e.g. drunk). I almost passed by, disgusted by my own weakness, when a Gulfi representative (apologies, I don't remember her name) stopped me and offered a glass of their wine. I looked at the representative welcoming face. I looked at the naked ass on the label. And I realised there are no reasons to reject this present from Dionysus. And even though I don't remember which wines I tasted exactly, the Gulfi imprint is what I took out of that overly drunk day.
It is worth mentioning that the naked ass on the label has a meaning. A meaning close enough to what one might think. Meet an ancient mosaic from Villa Romana del Casale located in Piazza Armerina in the province of Enna. This mosaic depicts Eros (Cupid) and Psyche (Beauty). According to the story, out of envy of Venus, they are forced to love each other in secret. But passion rarely goes unnoticed, and in their case, it found a physical manifestation (no puns) in the form of a daughter (no puns, seriously) they called Vulptas (literally meaning 'pleasure'), a goddess of sensual pleasures. And how does it connect to Gulfi? Sicily is Psyche, Gulfi is Eros, and their child is wine, a sensual pleasure.