Sicily: Bonavita Faro 2014

Color: Deep ruby red.

Aroma: Darker berries, tobacco, and earth.

Taste: Medium-bodied with medium acidity.

Pairing: Grilled meats and aged cheeses.

Northeast of Mt. Etna, towards the Strait of Messina, is a wine region called Faro. Giovanni Scarfone is the winemaker and owner of Bonavita. Bonavita's vineyard parcels are located on the family's small, organic farm, which sits on top a large hill above the town Faro. The oldest estate vines are 65 years old, and the youngest are 15 years old. Today, Giovanni and his father tend to the vineyards, the chickens and the other vegetables on the farm. Faro is similar to Etna Rosso in that both appellations contain Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Capuccio, and both are in north-eastern Sicily. Faro is different from Etna in that it also contains the grape Nocera, for added acidity; it is grown at lower altitude, 800 feet above sea level compared with as much as 2,600 or more for Etna; and the soil is limestone and clay, rather than the granular lava of Etna.