Story of a Friendship
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It's a winter night. Inside a wood and glass house by the sea, not far from Capo Passero, Sicily. Five friends, sitting around a table watch the big waves swollen by the sirocco wind while lazily savoring a Nero d'Avola wine. Chatting quietly, the five friends let their minds wander, fantasizing about a wine which would be able to express the nature and culture of this corner of Trinacria (ancient name of Sicily). This would be a wine which grasps and communicates the emotion which never fails to overcome the visitor who finds himself in this part of the island with open eyes and open heart. This wine would narrate the complex beauty of this corner of land.
Val di Noto
The five friends have different careers, each unrelated to growing vines. Yet, sometimes ago a seed planted. Thus, some time later Lorenza Battigello (who works at a multinational cosmetics firm), Giorgio De Flaviis (in insurances), Teresa La Rosa (an architect), Lucia Rappazzo (journalist), and Salvatore Tringali (architect) find themselves gazing at a plot of land on the hills facing the sea, admiring their own vineyard with a hint of emotion.
This is how the Azienda Agricola "Vigne in Val di Noto" Commercial Farm "Vineyards in Noto Valley") was born. From a common passion, an intimate challenge, the awareness of the unique characteristics of this place, and the desire to recount its enchantment. It's a small enterprise, with a limited production of exceptional quality. The fields are located between Noto and Capo Passero, on rolling hills from where one can gaze out at sea. The headquarter is in the heart of the baroque part old Sicily, halfway between Noto and Modica, an area defined by UNESCO a Human Heritage site. The passion of the owners merges tradition and innovation: the cutting edge winemaking tools available today are at the service of the ancient knowledge of the soil and grapes.
The estate produces only one wine which carries a highly evocative name: Sixteen Ninety Three. That's the year when the town of Noto –whose wealth and complexity this wine want to communicate– was rebuilt after being destroyed by a terrible earthquake which caused the death of around 60,000 people. It was then that the place acquired its baroque connotation which made it famous worldwide to this day.
Sedici Novantatre (Sixteen Ninety three) is a powerful (alcohol 15% by volume) blend of Nero d'Avola and Syrah grapes. The vineyards are in the DOC Eloro area, in the municipalities of Ispica, in the province of Ragusa, and Noto, in the province of Siracusa. The soil is chalky at the top, sitting on a chalky, clay-y base. The Syrah is cultivated using the controspalliera a cordone speronato system, while for the Nero d'Avola the alberello siciliano Sicily-style little tree) is used. There are 4,500 vines per hectare (around 1,821 per acre), and each vine produces about 1.3 kilos (around 2.9 pounds) of grapes each. The harvest is done completely by hand during the third part of August for the Syrah, and the second ten days of September for the Nero d'Avola grapes. The two varieties are crushed separately at controlled temperature, with daily mixing of the must. Ageing takes place for six months in iron vats, followed by 12 more months in the bottles.
The color is dark ruby red, impenetrable by light, with slight purplish overtones. Sedici Novantatre has delicate perfume, and is elegant and complex with notes of black mulberry, licorice and red fruits. . In the mouth it is delicate and broad, with balanced acidity. The price in Italy is €30 per 750 ml. bottle.
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