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Broc Cellars

Nero d'Avola 2018

Price: $38.95
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Tasting notes

Nero d'Avola is extremely rare in California, and Fox Hill is one of the only sites where it thrives. Fermented and aged in amphora with no oak influence, this 2018 shows vivid dark plum and black pepper with genuine grip and a savory finish that reads more Sicilian countryside than California sunshine.

BodyFruitTanninAcidity
PlumBlack PepperBlack CherryEarth
  • Style: Dry, medium-bodied red; native Sicilian grape grown on Mendocino benchland; amphora-fermented and aged; 13% ABV
  • Grapes & Terroir: 100% Nero d'Avola; Fox Hill Vineyard, Talmage Benchland, Mendocino County; sandy and sandy loam soils over uplifted river bed; organically farmed
  • Winemaking: Native yeast fermentation on skins in amphora; extended skin contact past fermentation; basket pressed January; 8 months aging in amphora; no oak, no additions
  • Serving: Serve at 60-64F; 20-30 min decant recommended
  • Pairing: Lamb, pasta al forno, tomato-braised meats, aged provolone, grilled eggplant
  • Similar To: For fans of earthy, tannic Sicilian Nero d'Avola or natural Carignan who want a California-grown expression

Broc Cellars has sourced Nero d'Avola from Fox Hill Vineyard on the Talmage Benchland in Mendocino County since 2013. The vineyard sits between Hopland and Ukiah, on uplifted river bed with sandy and sandy loam soils. At harvest in 2018 the vines were approximately 20 years old and the site was farmed organically.

For the 2018 vintage, the grapes were fermented on the skins in amphora and left on skins past fermentation. The wine was basket pressed in late January and returned to amphora to age for 8 months. No oak was used. Fermentation proceeded with native yeasts only, with no additions of nutrients, enzymes, or commercial bacteria.

The result is a wine with vibrant red and black fruit, firm but accessible tannins, and a savory, pepper-edged finish. Broc winemaker Chris Brockway describes it as an homage to the classic Nero d'Avolas he drank while working behind the bar at Terroir, San Francisco's first natural wine bar.

Pair with pasta al forno, lamb meatballs with tomato and herbs, or a board of aged provolone and cured sausage. The wine's acidity and moderate tannin hold up well against tomato-based sauces and fatty charcuterie. It also works alongside grilled eggplant or roasted peppers if you are going vegetarian.

Wine details

Dry/Sweet:, Dry
Wine Type:, Red Wine
Wine Style:, Medium Body
Grapes:, Nero d'Avola
Farming:, Organic
Vintage:, 2018
Alcohol:, 13%
Country:, USA
Region:, Mendocino County
Appellation:, Mendocino County
Bottle Size:, 750ml
Sugar Level:, Zero Added Sugar

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

Process time is not shipping time. Shipping time starts from the days successive to the day of shipping, after the order has been processed.

See here our shipping policy.


Important Compliance Requirements

FedEx and other carriers we might occasionally use can only deliver wine to customers who are 21 years or older. Someone must be at the address to receive the package, carriers don't just drop a package and leave. They must ensure the person receiving the wine is 21 or older.


Re-shipping a Package

If a package is returned to us after three failed delivery attempts, we can only re-ship the wine upon payment of a re-shipping fee, to be determined based on the shipping address and number of bottles. Shipping wine is extremely expensive. We are sorry about this, but we have no other choice. Please make sure there's always someone at the address you enter as your shipping address.

If you'd like to receive a refund for a package that was returned to us after FedEx made three delivery attempts, we can do that but we must keep a $20 refund fee; FedEx charges us a lot of money for returns, unfortunately, I can't stress this enough.


Re-routing a Package

If you'd like to reroute a package after it's been shipped, we can do so for a $20 re-routing fee. We cannot re-route a package across state borders. For any change of address, please contact us as soon as possible, ideally within 1-2 days from placing the order or we cannot guarantee we'll be able to reroute or change your order's shipping address.


Canceling an Order

If you'd like to cancel an order after it's been shipped, we can do so upon payment of a small cancellation fee – the amount depends on the size of the order. Carriers charge us a lot of money to recall a package en-route.


Heat/Frost damage

We are not responsible for heat- or frost-related issues. We offer ice-packs upon request. Please let us know if you think that there could be heat-related issues. If we don't hear anything from you regarding weather issues before an order is shipped, or if you don't request a hold due to the weather, we are not responsible for heat/frost damage.


Placed an order. What next?

1. You will receive an order confirmation email with your order summary.*

2. As soon as your order ships from the warehouse, usually within 2-3 business days, this applies to all shipping rates, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with your tracking information. 2DAY shipping refers to shipping time; we still need 2-3 business days to prepare an order. We need to pick and pack, QA, add printed collateral, and palletize the orders.

3. Please track your package using the tracking service.

4. The carrier will attempt delivery a maximum of 3 times. After 3 delivery attempts, your package will be sent back to our warehouse.**

*Please ensure your email address is correct; otherwise, you will not receive the order and shipping confirmation emails.

**If delivery is attempted 3 times without success, or if you fail to retrieve your package from the carrier depot by the stated deadline, the shipping fee will not be refunded to the customer.

Returns Policy

If you are not satisfied with your purchase, please contact us at (424) 414-2040 or via e-mail at hello@primalwine.com between 9 am and 5 pm Pacific Standard Time, Monday through Sunday, we would like to understand and try to solve your concerns. We can offer refunds only as store credit.

Producer profile

Broc Cellars

Broc Cellars was founded by Chris Brockway, who began making wine in 2002 with a single barrel and had its first official release in 2006. Originally known as Grape Leaf Cellars, the winery moved into its Berkeley space in 2008, one block from its current location in the city's Gilman District. Brockway studied oenology at UC Davis and Fresno State before spending time working at San Francisco's first natural wine bars, where his palate for lower-intervention, lower-alcohol California wine took shape.

Broc sources fruit from organically farmed vineyards across California, from the Central Coast up to Mendocino. The winery first harvested Nero d'Avola from Fox Hill Vineyard in 2013. After nearly a decade as a fruit buyer, Brockway took over farming operations at Fox Hill in 2021, and Broc Cellars became the official owner of the 60-acre vineyard in 2023. Fox Hill received CCOF organic certification in 2024.

All Broc Cellars wines are made using spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts only. Nothing is added during fermentation or aging, including nutrients, enzymes, yeast, bacteria, or tannins. Sulfur is not added during fermentation or aging; small amounts may be added at bottling depending on the wine and vintage. Vessels used across the range include amphora, clay, neutral French oak barrique, stainless steel, concrete, and sandstone jars, chosen on a wine-by-wine basis.

Wine region

Mendocino County, USA

Mendocino County sits on California's North Coast roughly 100 miles north of San Francisco. The county contains several distinct sub-regions, including Anderson Valley to the south and the inland Ukiah and Talmage areas to the east. The Talmage region occupies the eastern edge of the Ukiah Valley, where the land rises from the Russian River floodplain onto benchland. Soils on the Talmage Bench are gravelly loam with large river cobbles that provide excellent drainage, and days heat up quickly on the exposed hillsides before cooling overnight.

The Mendocino AVA covers a broad V-shaped area in the county's southern half and encompasses six nested sub-AVAs: Anderson Valley, Cole Ranch, McDowell Valley, Potter Valley, Redwood Valley, and Yorkville Highlands. The Talmage benchland itself sits within the broader Mendocino AVA but has no sub-AVA designation of its own. Historically the area has been planted to Zinfandel, Carignan, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chardonnay, but Fox Hill Vineyard stands out for its focus on Italian varieties including Nero d'Avola, Sangiovese, Trebbiano, Dolcetto, and over 25 other Italian and Spanish grapes in a 60-acre block.

Frequently asked question

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

Process time is not shipping time. Shipping time starts from the days successive to the day of shipping, after the order has been processed.

See here our shipping policy.

Signature on delivery is mandatory for wine deliveries. Please make sure someone is at the shipping address to sign for the package.

If applicable, please consider delivering the package to a business address to ensure someone is available to sign for the package.

We also have the option of delivering the package to a Carrier's store for pickup. Please reach out to us to coordinate.

Carrier will try to delivery a package up to three times before returning the package to us.

See here our shipping policy.

If you miss a delivery and a package gets returned to us we have two options:

1) Reship the package right away: due to the very high cost of shipping and returns, we must charge a re-shipping fee to be determined based on package size and shipping destination.

2) Consolidate the returned package with your next order: this option is free of charge and it's the most popular option.

See here our shipping policy.

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