Our Sicilian Rosé Wine Candora by Tenuta Papale has a delicate pale pink, crystalline and luminous colour. On the nose, it reveals subtle notes of peach blossom and wild strawberries, with a spicy finish of pink pepper. The palate is consistently pleasant, with a crisp, fresh and well-persistent finish.
A highly versatile and enjoyable wine that works perfectly as an aperitif, especially when paired with small arancini and savoury-filled puff pastries. Candora Rosé can also be enjoyed with traditional fish couscous or a delicious pizza Margherita with buffalo mozzarella, as well as with all kinds of fish dishes and the famous Sicilian tavola calda.

Like our other products, Candora Rosé Wine is released each year in a strictly limited quantity, as it is not mass-produced. The available volume depends on the annual harvest. Together with the uniqueness of the volcanic soil, this contributes to the quality of the wine. Any natural sediment may be considered a sign of quality. Candora Sicilian Rosé Wine: with this wine, Tenuta Papale has created a rosé that captures the sunshine of Sicily in every glass, while preserving the finesse and freshness expected from a premium rosé.

The grape varieties Nerello Mascalese and Nero d’Avola

Both Nero d’Avola and Nerello Mascalese can be vinified as single-varietal wines. However, when blended, this is done to harmoniously combine their respective strengths.

Nero d’Avola, literally translated from Italian as “Black from Avola,” is one of the most traditional grape varieties of the island. A synonym for this red grape variety is “Calabrese,” which points to Calabria as a presumed place of origin, even though it is only cultivated there to a limited extent. The roots of the variety are more likely to be found in Greece.
Locals also refer to it with respect as “Principe Siciliano” (Sicilian Prince). Today, Nero d’Avola is considered the most important grape variety in Sicily, covering approximately 18,000 hectares of vineyards.
Nero d’Avola is often blended with the Frappato grape, but also—as in our Candora Rosé—with Nerello Mascalese or the Perricone variety. More recently, internationally renowned varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah have also been used in these blends. Since the 1990s, Nero d’Avola has increasingly been vinified as a single-varietal wine, often with deliberately reduced yields. The resulting wine is typically characterized by its deep dark color—hence the name “Black”—and its concentration, without lacking the necessary acidity.

The noble Nerello Mascalese grape is the most widely cultivated red variety on the enchanting island of Sicily. Its preferred terrain is primarily the volcanic soils surrounding the majestic Mount Etna, as well as the fertile plains of La Piana di Catania in the sun-drenched south of the island. Unique in its splendour, Nerello Mascalese embodies the terroir of Sicily in every juicy berry. This remarkable grape variety is a late ripener by nature, reaching full maturity only in the month of October. Its berries are characterised by a significant level of tannins and acidity—two fundamental elements that pave the way for the skilful ageing of wine. It is the combination of these distinctive traits that makes Nerello Mascalese a key component in Sicily’s vinous landscape.
The nobility of Nerello Mascalese is further revealed in the thickness of its skin, which gives the resulting wines their remarkable structure and higher tannin content. Every drop of this fascinating variety, with its brilliant ruby-red colour, is a work of art created by nature and by the winemakers of Tenuta Papale, who capture the soul of Sicily in every bottle. In the synergy of soil, climate, and grape variety, Nerello Mascalese unfolds its unique symphony.