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Wines & Blends · Follow your curiosity
Cerasuolo di Vittoria
Nero d’Avola and Frappato meet in a distinctive Sicilian red blend, with room for the vineyard and the maker’s own interpretation.
A little acquaintance, at a glance.
- Origin
- Vittoria area · Sicily
- Designation
- Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG
- Grapes
- Nero d’Avola · Frappato
- Colour
- Red wine
A Sicilian red blend with its own identity
Cerasuolo di Vittoria is a protected red wine from southeastern Sicily. Its story brings together Nero d’Avola and Frappato. The full name matters: it is different from Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo, the rosé of another Italian region.
What goes into the bottle?
| Grape | Share specified by the consortium |
|---|---|
| Nero d’Avola | 50–70% |
| Frappato | 30–50% |
These ranges define the blend’s framework. The producer chooses the actual composition within it. A familiar ratio on one bottle is not the compulsory recipe for every wine or vintage.
The producer’s decisions remain visible
The two grapes can arrive from different parcels or be handled as distinct lots. Ask how they were fermented, when they were assembled and what vessels were used for maturation. The blend proportions begin the explanation; they do not describe every cellar decision or predict a fixed taste.
A documented example
Gulfi’s Cerasuolo di Vittoria account identifies 70% Nero d’Avola and 30% Frappato. It offers a specific blend to set beside the consortium’s permitted range. Planeta’s Vittoria portfolio offers another producer trail, including wines with different named cuvées. Always match the composition to the exact wine being discussed.
The documentary bottling photograph above is from Planeta in Sicily. It illustrates a winery activity, rather than documenting the bottling of Gulfi’s wine or this particular designation.
What might you notice?
Aroma
Red fruit, flowers and savoury detail are possibilities to explore. Let the actual wine provide the vocabulary.
Structure
Describe acidity, body and tannin separately. A blend with a dark-skinned grape need not be judged only by colour depth.
Balance
Notice how the whole wine fits together. Without component samples, a tasting impression cannot be assigned precisely to one grape.
At the table
Try a small pour with a tomato-led pasta, roast aubergine or grilled vegetables. Taste the dish with and without herbs or a richer sauce, then note any shift in the wine’s freshness and texture. A universal red-wine glass is a practical start.
A small Cork Dork discovery
Give your curiosity a little room.
Compare a producer-confirmed single-varietal Frappato with a Cerasuolo di Vittoria description. Record grapes, origin and cellar choices. If tasting, compare the whole wines rather than trying to calculate the taste of each ingredient.
Your observations, your words. Small pours welcome.
A few questions worth uncorking.
Is Cerasuolo di Vittoria rosé?
No. It is a red wine. Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo is a separate rosé identity.
Does every producer use the same ratio?
No. Read the actual composition within the designation’s permitted range.
Where shall we wander next?
Sicily →Nero d’Avola →Frappato →Blending Wine →Behind this introduction
Editorial sources checked 24 October 2026. Composition, production rules and cellar practices can vary by appellation, producer and vintage. The producer’s notes are the place to check a particular bottle.
Keep the Italian connections together.
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