The 2014 Sicilia Nero d'Avola Harmonium carries a heavy load of oak-driven smoke, tar, campfire ash and chocolate. The wine ages in new French and American barrel for one year. The richness and the thickness of the extraction really puts this wine in its own category, even compared to other Sicilian reds that are born big because of the warm growing conditions. There is jammy blackberry fruit at the back, but the take-home message really does focus on the oak. Give it a year or two to reach better integration.

The 2013 Nero d'Avola Harmonium is a rich and thickly layered red that puts big emphasis on new oak. Those smokey oak tones feel heavy and bulky. The wine's finer nuances are completely overwhelmed. Black cherry, tar, toasted chestnut, leather and pipe tobacco are the forceful aromas that give this wine its massive muscle power. There is tight oak astringency on the finish.

Harmonium is a gorgeous, opulent wine with a generous bouquet that is packed tight with blackberry, cherry liqueur, dark mocha, toasted vanilla bean and bright touches of black licorice. It’s a very pleasurable and elaborate interpretation of Sicily’s number one indigenous grape. ——M.L.(4/1/2012)—— 91