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Il Censo

Nero d'Avola Provvido 2016

Price: $34.95
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Tasting notes

Nero d'Avola grown at 650 meters in the Sicani highlands delivers something you do not often see from this grape: genuine freshness cutting through deep blackberry and licorice fruit. The Bea-influenced winemaking, unfined and unfiltered with minimal sulfur, keeps the wine alive and slightly wild rather than polished into submission.

BodyFruitTanninAcidity
BlackberryLicoriceMintBlack Pepper
  • Style: Full-bodied red; deep ruby-purple; blackberry, licorice, mint, and dark spice; firm tannins; 13.5% ABV
  • Grapes & Terroir: 100% Nero d'Avola; organic and biodynamic farming; 650m elevation; volcanic outcropping, south-central Sicily near Bivona
  • Winemaking: Hand-harvested; native yeast fermentation; no temperature control; unfined; unfiltered; minimal SO2 (total sulfur 65 mg/L)
  • Serving: Serve at 62-66F; decant 1-2 hours; the tannins open considerably with air
  • Pairing: Braised lamb, beef ragu, grilled eggplant, aged Ragusano, Pecorino Siciliano, roasted pork with fennel
  • Similar To: For fans of structured, earthy Italian reds like Aglianico or Primitivo who want high-altitude freshness

Provvido is 100% Nero d'Avola sourced from the Il Censo estate in Bivona, a hill town in south-central Sicily near Palazzo Adriano. The vines grow at 650 meters elevation on a volcanic outcropping, giving the wine more freshness and lift than you typically find in lower-altitude Sicilian reds.

Gaetano and Nicoletta Gargano own the 65-hectare Il Censo estate, a property with over 200 years of family history that was largely given over to grains and legumes before Gaetano decided to revive its agricultural potential. Working with Giampiero Bea as mentor, he planted Nero d'Avola alongside Catarratto, Perricone, and Malvasia Nera, farming the entire operation organically and biodynamically.

Winemaking follows the non-interventionist principles of Giampiero Bea: hand-harvested grapes, native yeast fermentation, no temperature stabilization, no fining, no filtering, and minimal added sulfur dioxide with a total SO2 of 65 mg/L. The 2016 vintage was the first release of this Nero d'Avola bottling for importer Rosenthal Wine Merchant.

Expect dark fruit on the nose with blackberry, licorice, mint, and a subtle spice tone, backed by supple texture and fine tannins. The high-altitude site keeps alcohol in check and preserves the kind of freshness rarely associated with Sicilian Nero d'Avola.

Works well with slow-braised lamb, beef ragu over rigatoni, or a tomato-heavy Sicilian caponata. The firm tannins and dark fruit also hold up to aged Ragusano or sharp Pecorino Siciliano. Grilled eggplant or a pork shoulder roasted with fennel and olives are natural fits.

Wine details

Dry/Sweet:, Dry
Wine Type:, Red Wine
Wine Style:, Full Body
Grapes:, Nero d'Avola
Farming:, Organic and Biodynamic
Vintage:, 2016
Alcohol:, 13.5%
Country:, Italy
Region:, Sicily
Appellation:, Terre Siciliane IGT
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

Il Censo

Il Censo is a 65-hectare estate in Bivona, south-central Sicily, near the town of Palazzo Adriano. The Gargano family, through Gaetano's mother's side (the Spoto family), has owned the land for more than 200 years. Production historically focused on grains, legumes, and a small planting of Perricone and Malvasia Nera, with an old olive grove whose trees are now over a century old.

Gaetano Gargano, a Sicilian by birth who spent his career in banking in Rome, became a longtime client of the Bea family in Umbria and decided to revive the agricultural potential of the family property. With the guidance of Giampiero Bea, son of Paolo Bea, he replanted hillside vineyards to Catarratto and Perricone, later adding Nero d'Avola and Malvasia Nera. The entire operation, including a revived olive grove producing certified organic extra virgin olive oil, is managed organically and biodynamically, with organic certification confirmed by 2014.

Vinification at Il Censo follows the principles developed by Giampiero Bea: hand harvesting, spontaneous fermentation on native yeasts, no temperature control, no fining, no filtering, and minimal sulfur additions. For Provvido, total sulfur dioxide is held to 65 mg/L. The approach prioritizes transparency of fruit and site over technical correction.

Wine region

Sicily, Italy

Sicily is Italy's largest island and sits at the southern tip of the boot, with a Mediterranean climate of hot, dry summers and mild winters. Elevation plays a significant role in wine quality: coastal areas run hot and flat, while inland zones and the Sicani and Nebrodi mountain ranges offer meaningfully cooler growing conditions. The Il Censo estate sits near Bivona in the south-central interior at around 650 to 700 meters, where calcium carbonate soils and volcanic outcroppings combine with altitude to produce fresher, more structured reds than what the island's reputation once suggested.

Most Sicilian wines fall under the island-wide Sicilia DOC or the broader Terre Siciliane IGT, the latter allowing producers maximum flexibility in grape variety and style. Nero d'Avola is the dominant red variety across the island and excels in the interior highlands where elevation tempers its naturally exuberant fruit. Sicily is Italy's leader in certified organic viticulture, with over 30% of its vineyards organically farmed, driven largely by the low disease pressure of its dry climate. Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG, blending Nero d'Avola with Frappato, is the island's sole DOCG designation.

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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