Notify me
2018 Vittoria Calabrese
Portelli
At 13% alcohol, this is not a massive Nero d’Avola...
Next time you feel inspired to try a simple new recipe, cook down some onions, garlic, and tomatoes (canned is fine) in olive oil. Add capers and pitted olives to the mix, then sprinkle in some dried herbs like oregano and thyme. A pinch of hot chili flakes will not hurt, if desired. Spoon the sauce over grilled swordfish or tuna, or add it to the pasta of your choice.
You have just created the perfect pairing for Portelli’s Calabrese. Hailing from Vittoria, in southern Sicily, this red is the ideal foil to savory, flavorful Mediterranean-inspired fare. Calabrese, also known as Nero d’Avola, has a remarkable capacity to retain acidity in a decidedly baking climate, allowing Portelli’s 2018 to coat the palate with sumptuous notes of black cherry and blackberry all while staying light on its feet, revealing a radiant brightness to contrast the succulent dark fruit. At table, these qualities are paramount.
Alessandro Portelli no longer filters his wines, preserving a fleshy, pulpy texture that lingers on the taste buds. This is not a massive Nero d’Avola—at thirteen percent alcohol, it is elegant, and does not overpower simple, casual meals. Your rapidly assembled Mediterranean feasts are certain to reach new levels.
—Anthony Lynch
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2018 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Calabrese |
Appellation: | Vittoria Calabrese |
Country: | Italy |
Region: | Sicily |
Producer: | Portelli |
Vineyard: | 4.5 ha, Planted in 1998 |
Soil: | Clay |
Farming: | Organic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 13% |
More from this Producer or Region

2021 Terre Siciliane Rosso “Donna Bianca”
Italy | Sicily
Delicate floral perfume, medium body, and velvety tannin.

2023 Salina Malvasia “Abissale”
Italy | Sicily
A textured and luscious dry white with the ravishing perfume of citrus blossoms and a real “wow” factor, this is a masterpiece from the maestro of the Aeolians.

2019 Terre Siciliane Bianco “Lato Sud”
Italy | Sicily
This old-vine Carricante gets its luxurious golden hue from four days of skin contact, a traditional process on Etna that really brings out the distinctive scents of this special place.

2019 Terre Siciliane Grenache “Vigna degli Architetti”
Italy | Sicily
Grottafumata’s first release from the “Vigna degli Architetti” delivers deep, ripe fruit with elegance and grace.

2022 Etna Rosso “Sciare Vive”
Italy | Sicily
This red’s satiny texture allows it to gloss over the palate with utter delicacy, while suggestions of smoke, white pepper, and brandied cherries linger after each sip.

Spumante Metodo Classico Extra Brut
Italy | Sicily
A citrusy and floral sparkler with a stony, bone-dry finish. Mamma mia!

2023 Terre Siciliane Bianco “Marzaiolo”
Italy | Sicily
The Marzaiolo is a brilliant white bursting with sunshine, sea spray, and fresh-squeezed Sicilian lemons.

2021 Terre Siciliane Bianco “Lato Sud”
Italy | Sicily
This low-alcohol Etna white shows subtly smoky aroma complemented by notes of yellow fruit, herbs, and wild broom.

2021 Terre Siciliane Carricante “Sciare Vive”
Italy | Sicily
Aromas of wildflowers, saffron, beeswax, and Mediterranean herbs. Rich, fleshy, and focused, all at just 12% alcohol.

2020 Terre Siciliane Carricante “Sciare Vive”
Italy | Sicily
Aromas of wildflowers, saffron, beeswax, and Mediterranean herbs. Rich, fleshy, and focused, all at just 12% alcohol.

About The Producer
Portelli
In the southeastern corner of Sicily, west of Modica and Ragusa, the town of Vittoria is the home of Sicily's sole DOCG (Italy's strictest form of wine certification), known as Cersuolo di Vittoria. Cerasuolo is an enlightened blend of Frappato and Nero d'Avola, and the two grapes when blended melt into each other in a harmonious symphony of flavor and texture. I fell in love with the wine and its medium-bodied, sensual, seductive personality. Then I discovered the Portelli family, Salvatore and his son Alessandro, and have been duly impressed with their mastery of these fine examples of southern Sicilian charm. Their wines are fresh, and joyful to drink, all while being faithful representatives of their native land. Welcome to a new KLWM standard.
About The Region
Sicily
Italy’s southernmost region and the largest island in the Mediterranean, Sicily has no shortage of sunshine to grow high-quality grapes on a yearly basis. It also does not lack a history of winemaking: since the Greeks settled here almost three millennia ago, the vine has played a major role in the island’s agricultural makeup. Production of cheap bulk wine for blending dominated much of its recent history until now, as we are witnessing a quality revolution that puts forth its great diversity and quality of terroirs, indigenous grape varieties, and local production methods.
While Sicily’s historical reputation is for sweet wines—Marsala and the Muscats of Pantelleria stand out—a number of dry whites and reds are enjoying the spotlight today. The cooler, high-altitude slopes of Etna, with its ashy volcanic soils, have seen an explosion of activity from producers both local and foreign; both whites (primarily from Carricante) and reds (Nerello Mascalese) here are capable of uncommon freshness and finesse. Other noteworthy wine regions are Eloro, where Nero d’Avola gives its best; Noto, an oasis of dry and sweet Moscatos; Vittoria, with its supple, perfumed Frappatos; and Salina, where Malvasia makes thirst-quenching dry whites and deliciously succulent passiti.
Countless foreign invasions over the centuries have given Sicilian architecture and cuisine a unique exotic twist, making it a fascinating destination for gourmands as well as wine importers. With a wealth of dedicated artisans proud to show off the riches of their land, you can bet there are many exciting things still to come from this incredible island.
More from Sicily or Italy
2019 Terre Siciliane Bianco “Lato Sud”
Grottafumata Italy | Sicily
2023 Olio Extravergine di Oliva Biologica
Grottafumata | Sicily
2022 Etna Rosso “Sciare Vive”
Vigneti Vecchio Italy | Sicily
2019 Terre Siciliane Grenache “Vigna degli Architetti”
Grottafumata Italy | Sicily
2023 Olio Extra Vergine di Oliva
Riofavara Italy | Sicily
2021 Terre Siciliane Rosso “Donna Bianca”
Vigneti Vecchio Italy | Sicily
2021 Terre Siciliane Bianco “Lato Sud”
Grottafumata Italy | Sicily
2020 Terre Siciliane Carricante “Sciare Vive”
Vigneti Vecchio Italy | Sicily
2020 Spumante Ancestrale
Masseria del Pino Italy | Sicily
2021 Etna Rosso “Crasà Contrada”
Vigneti Vecchio Italy | Sicily
2022 Etna Rosso “Contrada Friera”
Vigneti Vecchio Italy | Sicily
2021 Terre Siciliane Carricante “Sciare Vive”
Vigneti Vecchio Italy | Sicily
2019 Terre Siciliane Bianco “Lato Sud”
Grottafumata Italy | Sicily
2023 Olio Extravergine di Oliva Biologica
Grottafumata | Sicily
2022 Etna Rosso “Sciare Vive”
Vigneti Vecchio Italy | Sicily
2019 Terre Siciliane Grenache “Vigna degli Architetti”
Grottafumata Italy | Sicily
2023 Olio Extra Vergine di Oliva
Riofavara Italy | Sicily
2021 Terre Siciliane Rosso “Donna Bianca”
Vigneti Vecchio Italy | Sicily
2021 Terre Siciliane Bianco “Lato Sud”
Grottafumata Italy | Sicily
2020 Terre Siciliane Carricante “Sciare Vive”
Vigneti Vecchio Italy | Sicily
2020 Spumante Ancestrale
Masseria del Pino Italy | Sicily
2021 Etna Rosso “Crasà Contrada”
Vigneti Vecchio Italy | Sicily
2022 Etna Rosso “Contrada Friera”
Vigneti Vecchio Italy | Sicily
2021 Terre Siciliane Carricante “Sciare Vive”
Vigneti Vecchio Italy | Sicily
Kermit once said...

Kermit once said...
For the wines that I buy I insist that the winemaker leave them whole, intact. I go into the cellars now and select specific barrels or cuvées, and I request that they be bottled without stripping them with filters or other devices. This means that many of our wines will arrive with a smudge of sediment and will throw a more important deposit as time goes by, It also means the wine will taste better.