COS Contrada Nero d'Avola

COS Contrada is a compelling expression of Nero d’Avola from southeastern Sicily, crafted by the pioneering natural winemakers at Azienda Agricola COS. Sourced from mature, head-trained vines over 50 years old, the fruit is grown on the iron-rich red clay and limestone soils of the Bastonaca Contrada near Vittoria, imparting both structure and mineral definition to the wine. The estate follows organic and biodynamic farming methods, avoiding synthetic inputs and focusing on soil vitality and vine balance.  Vinification is carried out with native yeasts in untreated concrete tanks, allowing for a cool, slow fermentation that retains aromatic precision. Aging follows a three-phase process: initial maturation in large Slavonian oak botti to preserve the purity of the fruit, an additional year in concrete to enhance textural integration and micro-oxygenation, and six months resting in bottle prior to release. This method avoids oak imprint while refining tannins and lifting the wine’s savory core. The 2020 vintage reveals a focused aromatic profile of red currant, blood orange peel, Mediterranean herbs, and crushed stone. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, with finely knit tannins, and a saline undercurrent that reflects its limestone origins. COS Contrada resists the temptation of over-extraction, instead offering a cerebral yet approachable Nero d’Avola that emphasizes terroir over varietal flamboyance. It is ideally suited to grilled lamb, charred eggplant, or hard sheep’s milk cheeses, showcasing the grape’s potential for elegance, balance, and age-worthiness.

Area of production: Bastonaca, Vittoria (RG), South-East of Sicily.

Grape variety: Nero d’Avola 100%.

Agriculture: Organic.

Altitude: 230 Meters a.s.l.

Soil: red soil, medium consistency; formed of sub-apennine sands of Pliocene origin, of limestone-siliceous nature, interwoven with compact layers of fresh clay and siliceous sand.

Training system: head training.

Planting density: 8.000 vines/hectare.

Average age of vines in production: 50 years.

Harvest period: end of September, first days of October.

Fermentation: spontaneous on the skins with indigenous yeasts.

Aging: Slavonian barrels and bottle.