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Marabino

Rosso di Contrada Nero d'Avola 2018

Price: $27.95
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Tasting notes

This is Nero d'Avola as it tastes before oak and extraction get involved: cranberry, sour cherry, wild strawberry, and dried herbs with a snap of acidity that keeps every sip focused. Four distinct clay-limestone parcels in Contrada Buonivini are fermented and aged separately, then blended to capture the full texture of the hill rather than any single plot.

BodyFruitTanninAcidity
CranberryWild StrawberryEarthClove
  • Style: Dry, medium-bodied red; deep ruby; sour cherry, wild strawberry, dried herb; 13.5% ABV
  • Grapes & Terroir: 100% Nero d'Avola; biodynamic and organic certified; calcareous clay soils, 30-80m elevation, Contrada Buonivini, Noto
  • Winemaking: De-stemmed, not crushed; spontaneous indigenous yeast fermentation; 12 months stainless steel; minimum 1 year bottle aging; no additives
  • Serving: Serve at 60-64F; 20-30 min decant recommended
  • Pairing: Braised lamb, grilled sausage, aged pecorino, mushroom pasta, roasted eggplant
  • Similar To: For fans of structured, earthy reds like Barbera d'Asti or Etna Rosso who want a sun-drenched Sicilian take

Marabino's Rosso di Contrada is 100% Nero d'Avola sourced from four parcels on a single hill in Contrada Buonivini, Noto: Conca (21%), Coniglio (14%), Parrino (21%), and Lenza Lunga (44%). The vineyards sit at 30 to 80 meters above sea level on calcareous clay soils with mineral variation from white limestone to black clay, less than 7 kilometers from the sea. Vines are bush-trained (alberello) using massal selections from old Pachino stock.

Each parcel is fermented and aged separately using spontaneous indigenous yeast fermentation. Grapes are de-stemmed but not crushed to preserve whole berry integrity. The wine spends 12 months in stainless steel, then at least one year in bottle before release. Bottling is timed to fruit days of the biodynamic lunar calendar. No additives or oenological products are used at any stage.

The 2018 vintage shows cranberry, sour cherry, and wild strawberry on the nose with notes of cured meat and dried herbs. The palate is dry and vibrant, with orange zest and clove threading through the fruit. Tannins are firm but approachable, and acidity is lively, giving the wine both freshness and structure. At 13.5% ABV, it drinks with more energy than weight.

Marabino has held biodynamic and organic certification since 2008. The winery was founded in 2002 by Pierpaolo Messina as a spin-off from Natura Iblea, a family organic produce company established in 1996. The estate's 29 hectares are all within Contrada Buonivini. Historic red wines from this zone were historically known as Pachino wines, a nod to the contrada-level identity that Marabino continues to emphasize today.

Pour alongside braised lamb, grilled sausage, or a slow-cooked pork ragu. The wine's acidity and firm tannins also hold up well against aged pecorino and hard Sicilian cheeses. Its herbal, earthy character makes it a natural match for mushroom-based pastas or roasted eggplant dishes.

Wine details

Dry/Sweet:, Dry
Wine Type:, Red Wine
Wine Style:, Medium Body
Grapes:, Nero d'Avola
Farming:, Organic and Biodynamic
Vintage:, 2018
Alcohol:, 13.5%
Country:, Italy
Region:, Sicily
Appellation:, Sicilia 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

Marabino

Marabino was established in 2002 by Pierpaolo Messina as a division from Natura Iblea, a family-owned organic fruit and vegetable company founded in 1996. In the early years, the estate owned vineyards but not a cellar, vinifying at outside facilities. The winery building in Contrada Buonivini was completed in 2007. Messina studied in Siena and returned to Sicily with exposure to Tuscan biodynamic producers, which shaped the estate's farming direction from 2008 onward.

The estate covers approximately 29 hectares, all within the single contrada of Buonivini in the Noto Valley, province of Siracusa. Soils are predominantly calcareous clay with significant variation in mineral composition and color across parcels, ranging from white limestone to black clay. Altitudes range from 30 to 80 meters above sea level. All farming is biodynamic and certified organic; the estate grows its own grapes exclusively and does not purchase fruit or bulk wine from third parties. The surrounding land includes over two kilometers of Mediterranean scrub hedges, carob trees, olive groves, and aromatic herbs that form part of the farm's managed biodiversity.

Pierpaolo Messina takes a parcel-by-parcel approach, with each of the estate's plots vinified and aged separately to isolate their individual characteristics before any blending decision. For the Rosso di Contrada, grapes are de-stemmed but not crushed. Fermentation is spontaneous using indigenous yeasts with no additions or oenological products at any stage. The wine is aged in stainless steel for 12 months, then bottle-aged for at least one year before release. Bottling is timed to fruit days on the biodynamic lunar calendar. The result is a wine with no oak influence and a profile that reflects the calcareous clay soils and coastal microclimate of Contrada Buonivini directly.

Wine region

Sicily, Italy

Southeastern Sicily, anchored by the Val di Noto, is the historical heartland of Nero d'Avola. The zone takes in the territories of Noto, Pachino, Avola, and Siracusa, where calcareous clay soils and a Mediterranean climate with arid summers create conditions for concentrated, aromatic red wines. Contrada Buonivini, where Marabino's vineyards are located, sits on low hills at 30 to 80 meters above sea level, less than 7 kilometers from the sea, with prevailing Scirocco winds moderated by the low alberello vine canopy. The area is one of the sunniest in Europe, with summers that are hot and dry and mild conditions from autumn through spring.

The Val di Noto encompasses several appellations relevant to Nero d'Avola, including the Noto DOC, Eloro DOC, and the broader Sicilia DOC under which this wine is classified. The only DOCG in Sicily, Cerasuolo di Vittoria, also falls within this southeastern zone and blends Nero d'Avola with Frappato. Bush-trained alberello vines remain the traditional system in this part of the island, producing lower yields with stronger phenolic ripeness and aging potential than trellised alternatives. The grape itself is indigenous to the Siracusa province, with its strongest historical identity in Pachino and the surrounding contrade.

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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