Nerello is the name of a large grape family in Sicily. Nerello originally grew on the slopes of Mount Etna. In the middle of the 20th century it also expanded to the provinces of Messina and Catania. The Nerello became particularly famous thanks to the Etna Rosso. Today there are the different clones: Nerello Mascalese (Apulia, Sicily), Nerello Cappuccio (Calabria), Nerello Mantellato (Sicily) and Nerello Catanese (Sicily). Nerello Cappuccio is a dark-skinned grape variety from Sicily, best known for its use in the red wines of Etna and Faro. It is rarely found as a single varietal wine, and usually plays second fiddle to its cousin Nerello Mascalese, which is more abundantly planted and considered to be of higher quality. The wines from Nerello Cappuccio are characterized by a soft, supple structure, a rich texture and fine cherry aromas on the palate. The variety thrives perfectly in the higher altitudes of Etna and loves the volcanic soils. The unique combination of soil and climate on Etna characterizes the wines with elegance and structure. However, the Nerello Cappuccio is able to achieve above-average acidity and has a lot of tannin. This makes it perfect as a blending partner. Nerello Cappuccio gives the Etna cuvées its color and aromas and curbs the edgy nature of Nerello Mascalese. The pure Nerello Cappuccio wines have a fine, elegant scent that is sometimes compared to the fine wines of Barolo and Burgundy. In the past, Nerello Cappuccio was used almost exclusively as a blending partner; it was only in the last few decades that the wine was vinified as a pure variety and has been delighting the wine world ever since. It flowers and ripens slightly earlier than Nerello Mascalese. Spring frost can sometimes become a problem. The harvest time for Nerello Cappuccio is between early and mid-October. Outside Sicily, Nerello Cappuccio is also grown in some Calabrian DOCs: Lamezia, Sant'Anna di Isola Capo Rizzuto and Savuto. Nerello Cappuccio is also known by the names Negrello, Nerello, Nerello Ammantellato, Nerello di San Antonio, Nerello Mantellato, Nireddu Cappucciu, Nirello Cappuccio, Niureddu, Niureddu Cappucciu, Niureddu Mascali, Niureddu Minuteddu, Nivredda Cappucin, Nurrueddu Cappucciu and Perricone.
