About this wine
Vineyard and terroir
Controdanza comes from the Buonivini vineyard at Noto (SR), specifically the lower parts of the valleys surrounding the winery. Here the fruit character takes precedence over the balsamic expression typically associated with Nero d’Avola on Noto’s limestone. The vines stand at 40–70 m above sea level on fine-textured lime-marl soils containing abundant small skeletal material and a small proportion of pale chalk.
The vineyard is planted at 5,050 vines per hectare and trained on espalier systems, using both spurred-cordon and Guyot pruning. Yields for the 2021 vintage were 65 q/ha for Nero d’Avola and 72 q/ha for Merlot.
Cultivation follows organic-agriculture criteria and the SOStain® protocol. Beans, vetch and wild flowers provide ground cover, increasing organic matter and nitrogen while supporting soil microfauna. Vine health is managed with small quantities of sulphur and copper; beneficial insects, mating disruption, zeolite, kaolin and plant extracts are used to control pests. The wine is certified organic and SOStain®.
Grapes
85% Nero d’Avola and 15% Merlot. Both varieties are grown on the white, limestone-rich soils of Noto.
Vinification
The grapes were picked by hand at the end of September and carried to the winery in small carts. After destalking and pressing, they entered 100 and 150 hl stainless-steel tanks. Three brief pump-overs were conducted daily, each lasting 10–25 minutes depending on the stage of fermentation, with the aim of keeping the skins intact.
Fermentation lasted 7–8 days. The initial temperature was maintained at 14–15°C; refrigeration was later stopped, allowing the final phase to proceed at 24–25°C. The skins remained in contact with the wine for another 15–18 days before racking. Malolactic fermentation took place in the same stainless-steel tanks and finished between December and January.
Ageing
The wine matured for 12 months in Allier French-oak barrels, divided equally between fourth-use and fifth-use wood. The 2021 vintage was bottled in July 2023 using a single-piece natural cork.
Technical data
- Alcohol: 13.5% vol.
- Total acidity: 6.02 g/L
- pH: 3.39
- Bottle: 0.75 L
- Bottle weight: 500 g
- Ageing capacity: 8–10 years
Tasting profile
The aromatic profile combines jasmine and prune with balsamic nuances of bay, incense, Mediterranean scrub and goudron. Merlot grown on the same limestone soil adds a livelier, more exuberant dimension. Oak remains secondary and is well covered by the fruit. The palate retains clear spicy and acidic notes, softened by the alcohol and held in balance by the tannins.
Serving and pairing
A convivial red suited to contrasting flavours: seasoned meats, mature cheeses, salami, grilled meat, sweet-and-sour preparations and even artichokes.
Vintage notes
The winter of 2020/21 was notably dry. Budbreak began slightly early, although spring conditions prevented the season from advancing too rapidly; harvest ultimately started about one week ahead of schedule. Dry weather during picking produced very healthy grapes. The 2021 Noto harvest was average in volume and particularly strong in quality, and it marked the first year of organic vineyard management.
Label / history
The name derives from the “country dance,” a traditional rural dance structured around elegant movements of opposition and agreement. It reflects the deliberately contrasting combination of Nero d’Avola and a small proportion of Merlot.
Created as a classic second wine, Controdanza draws on vines in the valleys around Buonivini that are not selected for Santa Cecilia. Its first vintage was 2016.