On the 4th Day of Christmas… Feudo Maccari Nero D’Avola

On the 4th Day of Christmas…

“Serious” Red Wine Lovers Re-joice!

Feudo Maccari 2015 Nero- D’Avola

About this winery

Known as a producer for highly sought after Super Tuscans, Dr. Antonio Moretti set his sights on land in Sicily, where the estate Fuedo Maccari was born. With the help of his daughter Monica, a plot of land housing native Nero D’Avola Old-Vines became home to Feudo Maccari. Location was key, and this site is home to 12-35+ year old vines with roots deeply entrenched in the intense terroir. Volcanic soils, sand deposits, and a cooling ocean breeze allow these wines to have preserved acidity despite ripening in the baking hot sun.

Tasting notes

A wine for Cabernet Sauvignon lovers, this Nero D’Avola is superbly bold and fruit driven. Stainless steel ageing has created a wine that is very precise on the nose and palate. Notes of dark sour cherries, dried raisins, baking spices, bitter chocolate and menthol waft out of the glass. On the palate the high acidity and high tannins create a push/pulling sensation echoed with more black raisin and blackberry fruit, menthol, and bitter cocoa. This is a wine that will age for up to 10 years, and if you intend to drink it right away, should be consumed with hearty game dishes high is protein and fat content to smooth and soften some of the wines edges, allowing some of the wines’ more subtle herbal and dried fruit character to come through.

Where to Buy? This wine can be purchased by our Vine Life Wine Club Members at Bin 905 Wine and Spirits (Show your Wine Club Card to save 10%!)

What to serve it with? If you are looking for a dish to wow guests, try this wine with my braised lamb shanks. Subtle hits of citrus peel and rosemary in this particular recipe do wonders to bring out a dried cherry characteristic that is otherwise hidden in this wine.

Braised Lamb Shanks and Winter Vegetable Pappardelle

Ingredients

- 1/4 Cup of Olive Oil
- 2 Lamb Shanks, cross cut Osso bucco style
- 5 cloves minced fresh garlic
- 4 shallots – diced
- 1 cups dry red wine such as Syrah o Nero D’Avola
- 3 Cups Beef Stock
- 2 Tbs Tomato Paste
- Juice and julienne zest of 1 orange
- Juice an julienne zest of 1 lemon
- 3 Branches of Fresh Rosemary
- 3 Parsnips cut into 1″ dice
- 3 Carrots cu into 1″ dice
- 2 celery stocks finely diced
- 2Tbs unsalted butter
- 1 pound dried pappardelle or other long broad noodle pasta
- 1 cup grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- Lemon wedges

Preparation

In a large dutch oven, heat oil until it begins to lightly smoke
Dry lamb shanks with paper towel and season with salt and pepper
Brown in dutch oven on all sides and set aside.
Add shallots and garlic to the pan, cooking until lightly browned (approx 3-4mins)
De-glaze with wine, and let simmer for 5 mins.
Add stock, orange juice and zest, lemon juice and zest, tomato paste, rosemary, celery and the reserved lamb shanks. Cover and allow to simmer gently for approx 45mins to 1hr.
Add root vegetables and continue to cook uncovered for approx 20mins until veggies are fork tender.
Set aside and allow to partially cool – option to pull mean from some of the shank pieces and stir into the ‘stew’ to create a slight ‘ragu’, though not necessary
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al-dente.
Toss pasta with butter, and 3/4 cup of Parmesan cheese
Serve and Top with Shank pieces, veggies, and ‘stew’
Garnish with remaining Parmesan and flat leaf parsley