Mandrarossa 'Cartagho' Nero d'Avola is an intense red wine with powerful aromas of wild blackberries and cherries. This full-bodied, balanced wine has delightful flavours of black fruit, underlined by delicate notes of dates and maritime pine. A perfect accompaniment to beef and lamb dishes.

Critic Review

Decanter Magazine: 92Pts
Drinking Window: 2022 - 2030

"The hot and dry 2017 vintage challenged growers across Europe but the result here is a successful wine, if a little plumper than usual. Spicy cedar and ripe red and black berry aromas are followed in the mouth by rich dark fruits and a streak of raspberry coulis. Some notes of chocolate, tobacco, earth and wood emerge towards the end. The acidity is well integrated, giving the body a sense of roundness."
James Button

About the Producer

First produced in 1999, the Mandrarossa wines come from a selection of the best sites from Cantine Settesoli’s 6,000 hectares of vineyard, situated in southwestern Sicily and planted with 32 different grape varieties. This range was conceived after the diverse soils of the vineyards were mapped, enabling the winemakers to focus on what were then ranked their best sites. Under the leadership of co-operative president Giuseppe Bursi, consultant winemaker Alberto Antonini has sought to improve viticulture, which in turn has resulted in better wines. Working with soil specialist Pedro Parra and head winemaker Mimmo De Gregorio, Alberto has selected 500 hectares of vineyard for the production of the Mandrarossa wines. These vineyards are situated close to the sea, where intense sunlight, moderating sea breezes, mild temperatures, multiple elevations and a myriad of different soil types combine to give the sort of grapes that Mimmo and Alberto are looking for.

Vineyard and Winery

Vineyards for this wine are located in the contrada Torrenova in the Menfi area, on the south-west coast of Sicily. The vines grow on south-west facing hills at 150 metres above sea level, where soils are sandy. Vines are Guyot trained and planted at a density of 4,000– 4,200 plants per hectare.

After being crushed and destemmed, the grapes underwent fermentation in temperature-controlled, stainless-steel tanks for up to 10 days at 18-22°C. The wine was then matured in barriques for six months.