2015 NeroBufaleffj

This is the estate that focused everyone’s attention on the need to bottle single-contrada Nero d’Avolas – something that, unlike on Etna, has only started to take hold recently on the rest of the island with grape varieties other than Carricante or the Nerellos. In fact, at Gulfi, the Catania family recently planted a few more hectares to bush vines of Nero d’Avola in both the Maccari and Bufaleffj contrade. Co-owner Matteo Catania strongly believes in the grand cru quality of Pachino’s exceptional Nero d’Avola wines and is working to have this subzone recognized officially, instead of being lumped into the bigger Noto category. Catania also would like to see a Nero d’Avola wine subdenomination in the Cerasuolo di Vittoria zone, much as there now exists the Vittoria Frappato designation; one possibility is that it could be called Nero d’Avola Monti Iblei after the local mountains. More importantly, perhaps, is that Gulfi has made some of its best wines ever these last two years, and especially so in 2016, which is admittedly a fantastic vintage in Sicily. The 2016 Nerobufaleffj and 2016 Nerosanlorè are, if not the best, then definitely among the best wines ever made from these contrade, at least at a similar stage of development. But all the other wines, whites included, have improved by leaps and bounds, too, boasting greater precision, depth and refinement.