COS Nero di Lupo Nero d'Avola 2024
We have 12 in stock (Inventory is live and accurate)
The Land
Most people picture Sicilian red as heavy and sun-baked. Vittoria, at the island's southeastern tip in the province of Ragusa, makes reds built on lift and transparency instead. The COS vineyards sit at about 230 meters on land between the Ippari and Dirillo rivers, which run down from the Hyblaean Mountains to the Mediterranean. The soil is a distinctive red earth of medium texture, formed from Pliocene sands, limestone and silica in character, with compact layers of clay and siliceous sand in places. The sand drains quickly and keeps vigor in check, while the limestone gives the wine its freshness. This is Nero d'Avola from Vittoria, the corner of Sicily that has done the most to change what the grape can taste like.
The Wine
COS Nero di Lupo 2024 is 100% Nero d'Avola from Guyot-trained vines planted at about 5,000 per hectare. The grapes are picked by hand at the end of September or in early October and fermented spontaneously on their skins with indigenous yeasts, then aged about nine months in concrete tanks and three months in bottle. No wood touches it, which is why the fruit tastes so direct. Expect dark plum, black cherry, licorice, and wild herbs, a briny, faintly reductive edge when first opened, medium body, bright acidity, and soft, supple tannin. Serve it with a slight chill. The 2024 season in southeastern Sicily was dry, with little autumn and winter rain and a clear water deficit, but a cooler-than-usual summer offset the drought. Production in the southeast fell about 20 percent.
The People
COS takes its name from the initials of three friends: Giambattista "Titta" Cilia, Cirino Strano, and Giusto Occhipinti. In 1980, when they were among the youngest wine producers in Italy and about to start university, they took over the old family cellar of Cilia's father, Giuseppe, along with a 3.6-hectare bush-vine vineyard in Bastonaca. They harvested their first vintage on October 5, 1980, and made 1,470 bottles. Curiosity pushed them toward terracotta early; in 2000 they released Pithos, an amphora-fermented Cerasuolo di Vittoria, and by 2007 they had given up barrels entirely. The vineyards are farmed organically following biodynamic principles, with compost made from the estate's own prunings. COS remains a reference point for natural wine from Sicily, and Nero di Lupo is where its style is easiest to taste.
Food Pairing
Nero di Lupo wants food with salt, char, and a little sweetness. Grilled swordfish steaks with salmoriglio, the Sicilian dressing of lemon, oregano, and garlic, work because the soft tannin won't turn the fish metallic and the briny edge echoes the sea. Pasta alla Norma, with fried eggplant, tomato, and ricotta salata, matches the plummy fruit while the acidity cuts the oil. Caponata spooned over grilled bread plays sweet and sour against the dark cherry. Pork sausages roasted with fennel seed and red onions bring out the licorice. This is the Sicilian red to keep on hand for nights when dinner is whatever comes off the grill.
We ship wine to most states with a $100 minimum order for shipping. We don't ship spirits nor beer.
Weather shipping advisory: Orders placed during times of extreme heat or extreme cold will be held for no charge until more favorable weather returns.
Sicily, Italy’s largest island, blends ancient wine traditions with a fresh wave of modern creativity. Its star red grape, Nero d’Avola, thrives in the island’s warm, sun-soaked climate, producing intensely flavored wines with dark fruit and a hint of savory spice. Along the western coast lies the historic heartland of Marsala, a fortified wine prized for both sweet and dry styles. Rising above the island’s varied landscapes is Mount Etna, an active volcano whose mineral-rich soils and cooler elevations result in elegantly structured reds and nuanced whites. From coast to crater, Sicily’s wine culture is as diverse and vibrant as the region itself.
Italy - Sicily
Nero d'Avola is Sicily's most widely planted grape, originally grown near the town of Avola in the island's southeast. It thrives in Sicily’s warm Mediterranean climate and sandy limestone soils, producing medium to full-bodied red wines. Typically, Nero d'Avola offers flavors of ripe blackberry and plum with hints of spice. The wines have balanced acidity and a solid structure, making them enjoyable young or aged for a few years. Though closely linked to Sicily, Nero d'Avola is also increasingly popular in warm climates like Australia and California.
