Two Italian Varietals
SEPTEMBER 2026
Two Italian Varietals ...one from Italy and one not!
The fun thing about this club is that both wines are Italian grapes, but they aren't both from Italy. One is Nero d'Avola from Sicily (estate's olive harvest pictured top) and the other is Sangiovese from Adelaide Hills in Australia (yes, with kangaroos in the vineyards to prove it).
The Sangiovese was the first wine we picked for the club. It was too crazy-interesting to pass up. From there, we needed a second wine that could somehow form a theme. We had several ideas we were toying with, but when we tasted the Nero d'Avola, the deal was done. Couldn't pass that one up. More below on the wines, where they come from, and who makes them. Fun club. Enjoy!
Nero d'Avola
...from Sicily
Nero d'Avola is the primary red grape of Sicily. Originally, the varietal – which translates as the black grape from Avola – grew in southeast Sicily around the village of Avola, but today it's grown all over the island. It's a grape that likes heat, needs little water, and produces a juicy, spicy red wine full of blackberry & cherry flavors.
Curatolo Arini
Just north of Trapani on the northwest coast of Sicily is the family-owned winery, Curatolo Arini. This part of Sicily is Marsala country, and Vito Curatolo Arini founded the winery in 1875 to make Marsala wine. The winery is old-school, holding its traditions close to its heart. Currently cousins Alexandra & Riccardo (pictured above), run the winery in collaboration with their fathers, Sergio & Roberto.
In their original location near Trapani, the winery still produces a large line of fortified Marsala wines with their gorgeous, 100-year old label designs (pictured below). Their white grapes (Catarratto, Inzolia, Grillo) grow in this area, too, preferring coastal vineyards. Their red grapes (Nero d'Avola, Syrah) grow in vineyards in central Sicily and use a new production facility in Caltanissetta (see map above).
Curatolo Arini 2025 Paccamora Nero d'Avola • Sicily, Italy • Reg $14.99 | Mixed Case $11.99
100% Nero d’Avola from sandy, clay soils in Favara San Cataldo, 1640 ft above sea level in central Sicily. Very aromatic wine: fresh ripe plums with earthy, herbal notes. Fantastic acidity. Flavors of red & purple plums, black cherries with an earthy, spicy finish. Tannins are there, but soft. Classic Nero d'Avola. Good complexity. Delicious sipper. Great with dinner, especially pizza!
Sangiovese
...from Australia
Your club Sangiovese is grown in Adelaide Hills, known as a cool-climate region in South Australia, with Barossa Valley to the north and McLaren Vale to the south. On average, the daytime temps in Adelaide Hills are 5°C (= 9°F) cooler and nighttime temps are 10°C (= 18°F) cooler than neighboring regions. Sangiovese is a late ripening grape, and this additional ripening time (as opposed to areas that are hotter) allows the Sangiovese to ripen more slowly, maintain acidity, and develop more complex flavors.
Nova Vita Wines
The Kozned family has a long tradition of growing grapes, but in the Caucuses, not Australia. The family immigrated to Australia after World War II, returning to farming and viticulture in 1999 with the planting of their Woodlands Ridge Vineyard in Gumeracha (north central Adelaide Hills) and then acquiring the Tunnel Hill Vineyard (15 minutes north of their original property) in 2008. They grow your club Sangiovese in the Tunnel Hill Vineyard.
Nova Vita 2021 Firebird Sangiovese • Adelaide Hills, Australia • Reg $17.99 | Mixed Case $14.39
100% Sangiovese. Lots of herbs on the nose. Blind, it smells like Rhône. Raspberries, dark cherries, dusty earth. Medium-body. Great acidity (but not sharp). Flavors have lots of red & black cherries, blackberries, clay-earthiness, with a faint note of spice (Chinese 5 spice? =cinnamon, anise, cloves, ginger, fennel). Note of soy sauce & plums on the finish. Give it an hour open if you can to let all the flavors come through. Absolutely interesting, fun wine! Enjoy with pizza (winery agrees – see photo below), burgers, pork chops & more.
Jens: This is why you’re in wine club — to get wines like this!!
A Note from Jens:
Italian varietals are a great way to explore the world of wine. (They have tons of them!) Hope you enjoy your club wines – both the traditional and the New World versions. We are delighted with them. Photo above: Marsala sunset from the Curatolo Arini family.
Your wine club pick-up tasting is always the 2nd Saturday of the month. We host this tasting so that you can taste and learn about your wines before enjoying them at home.
You'll also be able to taste the Portalis FLAGSHIP club wines. Our September theme is Southern Rhône, featuring a white blend from Séguret and two reds, one from Rasteau and the other from Vacqueyras. Southern Rhône never disappoints!
Great tasting. Hope to see you there.
Cheers,
Jens Strecker, Owner
Portalis Wine Shop
If you are here because you’re curious about our wine clubs: Here’s more general info & online sign-up. You can also peruse the last 12 months of both clubs to get a feel for the themes we pick and the wines we showcase: Portalis EXPLORES (our everyday wine club) & Portalis FLAGSHIP (our signature club).