Nero d'Avola is a red grape variety from the island of Sicily, with potential to make wines of rather high quality and ageability. It is as yet still somewhat underappreciated, and is frequently part of the blend of some Marsala wines.
Nero d'Avola is considered as the most typical and representative red grape of Sicily, excluding the territory of Etna. The incorrect name Calabrian is an "Italianization" of the word in old Sicilian dialect, "Calaurisi" which actually means "grape of Avola." Nero d'Avola was selected for cultivation by grape-growers of Avola (Siracusa) several hundred years ago and spread to the commune of Noto (SR), the provinces of Ragusa and Caltagirone, and recently throughout the rest of the island. When cultivated to yield a low quantity of fruit per vine this grape variety is capable of expressing the characteristics of important aged red wines. An aroma of red fruit and typically "sweet" tannins that persist after many years are the most significant components. At the same time, this grape also lends itself well to the production of young and novello wines of a suggestive red and violet-tinged color, highly pronounced aroma of red fruit (plum, blackberry) and smooth tannins. When I tasted this exquisite grape I noticed it had a great peppery/jammy taste to it.
Research by Matthew Webster of http://www.whoarethewebsters.com taken from http://www.gulfi.it/inglese/ross_vitigni_nero1.htm