Martha Stouman makes her Nero d'Avola wine in the USA with a bit of a story behind it... you see, before starting her own winery in 2014, Martha Stoumen worked in the vineyard, olive orchard, and winery of a small farm and learning center in Tuscany, after studying traditional agricultural systems and Italian during her undergraduate degree.
She entered the world of wine production through the lens of a vintner, spending the majority of her farm work in the vineyard rather than the winery, unlike a typical modern California winemaker who spends very little to no time in the vineyard.
After her initial exposure to grape farming and winemaking in Tuscany, Martha began a series of apprenticeships in the Mosel, Faugères, Sicily and California.
In 2014 she started her own winery in California. Her wines are made from unexpected varietals and offer new takes on California classics. Initially, she embarked on her journey by exploring warm and breezy regions conducive to natural farming.
Her excitement grew as she discovered a dedicated group of farmers primarily cultivating Mediterranean grapes in the Ukiah area of Mendocino County, Contra Costa County, and Suisun Valley. Martha makes about 8000 bottles a year.
The Nero d’Avola 2018 is a solid, big Californian red with charm and structure, featuring almost dusty tannins and a very unique expression of the grape.
This wine is Martha Stouman’s flagship wine, inspired by her time working at COS in Sicily. She is actually one of the very few Californian producers working with Nero d’Avola.
