Region: Terre Siciliane IGT, Sicily, Italy

Varietal: 100% Nero d’Avola

Producer: Il Censo is an estate of 65 hectares situated in Bivona, in the south-central zone of Sicily near the town of Palazzo Adriana — the same sun-drenched hillside corner of the island that inspired Cinema Paradiso, which feels appropriate for a wine this quietly cinematic. Gaetano Gargano's family, through his mother's side, has owned Il Censo for over 200 years, though much of its agricultural life had faded over time. It was Gaetano's friendship with Giampiero Bea — the celebrated Umbrian winemaker — that lit the fuse: inspired by the Bea family's work in Montefalco, Gaetano set out to reinvigorate the estate, replanting vineyards under Giampiero's guidance and running the entire operation organically.

Vineyard & Winemaking: The name '700' refers directly to the meters of altitude at which the Nero d'Avola is planted — a detail that tells you everything you need to know about why this wine tastes the way it does. The vineyards sit high on an undulating volcanic outcropping, where the elevation tempers Sicily's fierce heat and coaxes freshness out of a grape that can easily tip into jamminess at lower altitudes. Vinification follows the principles developed by Giampiero Bea — a philosophy rooted in minimal intervention, native yeasts, and respect for what the fruit is already saying.

Tasting Notes: The wine is medium-to-full-bodied, full of ripe and delicate dark fruit, black pepper spice, and finishes with fine, earthy tannins. There's a real sense of tension here — the volcanic elevation doing its job, keeping the acidity lifted and the structure honest. Nero d'Avola can often be one-note even when perfectly delicious, but not here — this shows the true potential of Il Censo's terroir for producing great red wine. Soulful, precise, and just a little wild — exactly what you'd want from a mountainside Sicilian with 200 years of history behind it.