Nocera

The Red of the Strait Nocera is a native red grape of north-eastern Sicily and neighbouring Calabria, grown especially around Messina, where it is a key component of the historic Faro wine. Deeply coloured, firmly acidic and structured, it lends backbone, colour and freshness to blends and, increasingly, makes characterful varietal reds. A grape of the sun-baked hills above the Strait of Messina, it is enjoying a quiet modern revival.

Origins around Messina Nocera has long been grown in the far north-east of Sicily, in the province of Messina, and across the strait in southern Calabria, where it is part of the traditional wine culture of the region. Historically valued for the deep colour and acidity it brought to blends, it is closely tied to the hills around Messina and to Faro, the small but noble appellation overlooking the strait toward the Italian mainland.

The Faro Connection Nocera’s most celebrated role is in Faro, the historic red of Messina, where it is blended with Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio to give a structured, aromatic wine of real finesse. In the blend Nocera contributes colour, acidity and firmness, complementing the fragrance of the Nerello grapes. The revival of Faro in recent decades has brought renewed attention to Nocera and its qualities.

In the Vineyard Nocera ripens well in the warm, sunny climate of north-eastern Sicily while retaining notably high acidity, an unusual and valuable trait in the hot south. Grown on the hillsides above the coast, it gives deeply coloured, thick-skinned grapes of good structure. Its natural acidity and colour make it a useful component in blends and, with careful farming, a characterful varietal in its own right.

Appearance and Structure Nocera gives deeply coloured, medium to full-bodied reds with firm tannins and, above all, bright, fresh acidity that lends the wines energy and lift. This combination of colour, structure and vivid acidity gives Nocera a freshness unusual for a southern red, making its wines both robust and lively. The grape’s backbone and brightness are its defining traits, whether blended or bottled alone.

Aromatic Profile The aromas run to red and dark fruit — cherry, plum and blackberry — with notes of Mediterranean herbs, spice and a savoury, sometimes earthy undertone. The high acidity gives the wines a fresh, almost northern lift over their southern fruit, and the herbal, savoury character adds complexity. This balance of ripe fruit and bright freshness gives Nocera an appealing, food-friendly personality.

In the Cellar Nocera is made both as a blending grape — most famously in Faro — and, increasingly, as a fresh, structured varietal red. Its colour and acidity make it valuable in the cellar, and winemakers may use oak to build complexity in the more serious bottlings. The aim is generally to balance the grape’s firm structure and vivid acidity with its ripe, savoury fruit for a lively, characterful wine.

Key Expressions

• Faro DOC: the historic Messina blend with the two Nerellos.
• Varietal Nocera: fresh, structured, high-acid modern reds.
• Calabrian bottlings: expressions from across the strait.
• Blending component: colour and acidity for north-eastern Sicilian reds.

The Question of Aging Thanks to its structure, tannin and high acidity, Nocera has good aging potential, and the best examples — especially as part of Faro — can develop for several years or more, the fruit deepening into savoury, earthy, dried-fruit complexity while the acidity keeps the wine fresh. Its brightness and backbone give Nocera a resilience that allows it to age gracefully for a southern variety.

At the Table Nocera’s structure, fresh acidity and savoury fruit make it a versatile food red, suited to grilled and roast meats, tomato-rich pasta and Sicilian dishes, cured meats and medium cheeses. Its bright acidity cuts through richer, oilier food especially well, while the herbal, savoury character flatters Mediterranean cooking, making it an appealing and adaptable partner at the table.

Why It Matters Nocera is the structural heart of Faro and one of north-eastern Sicily’s most valuable native reds — a grape of deep colour and unusually bright acidity that brings freshness and backbone to the wines of the strait. Its modern revival, alongside the renaissance of Faro, shows how Sicily’s lesser-known grapes are winning new appreciation for their character and quality.