{{Short description|Variety of grape}} thumb|Nerello Mascalese wine '''Nerello mascalese''' is a name given to a variety of red wine grapes named after the Mascali area in Catania, that grow primarily in Sicily and Sardinia.<ref name="Robinson pg 213">J. Robinson ''Vines, Grapes & Wines'' pg 213 Mitchell Beazley 1986. {{ISBN|1-85732-999-6}}.</ref> It is grown mainly on the northeastern side of Sicily (near Mascali, where the grape is thought to have originated) and is thought to be superior in quality to the Nerello Cappuccio. There is an experimental vineyard in Agliano Terme, Piedmont, where Nerello has been planted by the winery, Vini Ragerra, and they are credited with being the first to plant and vinify Nerello in this region. While it can be used for blending, the grape is often made into varietal wine.<ref name="Robinson pg 213" /> The grape is believed to be an offspring of the Calabrian wine grape Mantonico bianco.<ref name="Wine Grapes">J. Robinson, J. Harding and J. Vouillamoz ''Wine Grapes - A complete guide to 1,368 vine varieties, including their origins and flavours'' pgs 5, 593-594 Allen Lane 2012. {{ISBN|978-1-846-14446-2}}. </ref> The Nerello Cappuccio, is used together with mascalese in the Etna DOC as a blending grape that adds color and alcohol to the wine. It is one of the three grapes used to make the wine Corvo Rosso.<ref name="Robinson pg 213"/>
An Italian study published in 2008 using DNA typing showed a close genetic relationship between Sangiovese on the one hand and ten other Italian grape varieties on the other hand, including Nerello.<!-- which of them? --> It is therefore likely that Nerello is a crossing of Sangiovese and another, so far unidentified, grape variety.<ref name="Crespan 2008">[http://www.vitis-vea.de/admin/volltext/w1%2008%20895.pdf ''‘Sangiovese’ and ‘Garganega’ are two key varieties of the Italian grapevine assortment evolution''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719112637/http://www.vitis-vea.de/admin/volltext/w1%2008%20895.pdf |date=2011-07-19 }}, M. Crespan, A. Calò, S. Giannetto, A. Sparacio, P. Storchi and A. Costacurta, Vitis '''47''' (2), 97–104 (2008)</ref>
The organoleptic characteristics of the monovarietal Nerello Mascalese generally are a ruby red color, with subtle grenade tones; a strong fruity scent of red berry fruits, with slight floral shades, a spicy hint, and a delicate effusion of vanilla and tobacco, with a persistent trace of licorice; and a dry, tannic, persistent and harmonic taste, with a strong body. At sight, the wine seems surely more mature than it appears when smelled or tasted. Treating this vine variety in a traditional way, it can produce a wine presenting the above-described characteristics.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.santamarialanave.com/en/nerello-mascalese-grape/|title=Nerello Mascalese, the prince of native red grape varieties of Mount Etna|last=|first=|date=|website=SantaMariaLaNave|publisher=|access-date=}}</ref>
==References == {{Reflist}}
==External links== * Val di Marara Wine Region on Wikivoyage * Val Demone Wine Region on Wikivoyage
Category:Red wine grape varieties Category:Wine grape varieties of Italy
{{wine-grape-stub}}