The dark Sicilian

It has all the classic qualities of a good Italian - tall, dark, full-bodied, a little spicy and with true-blue Sicilian gusto. Forget about the straw-bottomed Chianti of your distant youth, it's time to get acquainted with Nero D'Avola, one of Sicily's most popular reds, and often compared with the best Australian Shiraz.

This is an old grape and Sicily's best-selling varietal. Up until about 30 years ago, it was used mainly to boost weaker wines from France and other parts of Italy. Like the other god-fathers on this island, Nero D'Avola is known for its strength and fortitude and winemakers made use of its robust body to make softer vintages more palatable.

Named after Avola, a tiny town in southeast Sicily, the grape is also known by its other names - Calabrese D'Avola, Calabrese De Calabria, Calabrese Di Noto and Calabrese Dolce among others.