Ask a Sicilian what belongs on the table when the evenings start drawing in, and sooner or later you will hear the word caponata. It is the dish Sicilian families make in big batches as the last aubergines of the season come in, and for us it has one natural partner: our family red, Tasari Nero d'Avola. Here is why the two belong together, and how to enjoy them this autumn.
What is caponata?
Caponata is Sicily's famous sweet-and-sour aubergine dish. The aubergine is fried until golden, then gently cooked with onion, celery, tomato, green olives and capers, and finished with vinegar and a little sugar. That last step gives it the agrodolce (sweet-sour) character that makes it so moreish.
Every town, and almost every family, has its own version. Some add pine nuts and raisins, some a touch of cocoa, some almonds on top. What they all share is this:
- Sweet from the slow-cooked onion, tomato and sugar
- Sour from the vinegar
- Salty from the capers and olives
- Rich and silky from the fried aubergine and good olive oil
It is a lot of flavour in one spoonful, which is exactly why the wine you pour with it matters.
Meet our family red: Tasari Nero d'Avola
Tasari is what we like to call our everyday wine. It is made mainly from Nero d'Avola, Sicily's best-known native red grape, which grows in the lower valleys of our 120 hectares in the province of Trapani, where our great-grandfather Francesco planted the first vines back in the 19th century.
In the glass it is a deep, clear ruby, with aromas of raspberry and liquorice. The grapes are fermented in stainless steel for around twelve days on their skins, and the wine also goes through its malolactic fermentation in steel. No oak, no heavy make-up: just ripe Sicilian fruit, ready to drink with food.
Our own tasting notes for Tasari say it plainly: not to be missed with arancine or caponata.
Why they work so well together
Caponata can be tricky for wine. The vinegar can make a heavy, oaky red taste flat and bitter, while a very delicate wine simply disappears under all that flavour. Tasari sits happily in the middle.
- Fruit meets sweetness. The raspberry notes in the wine pick up the sweetness of the tomato and slow-cooked onion.
- Unoaked and fresh. Because it is made in stainless steel, the wine stays bright and fruity, so it doesn't clash with the sour side of the dish.
- Enough character. The liquorice note and ripe Nero d'Avola fruit hold their own against the salty capers and olives.
- Same island, same table. It sounds romantic, but it is also practical: Sicilian food and Sicilian wine have grown up together for generations.
How to serve it at home this autumn
Caponata is one of those dishes that tastes even better the next day, once the flavours have settled, so it is perfect for making ahead on a Sunday. A few tips from our family:
- Serve the caponata at room temperature, not straight from the fridge.
- Give the wine a light chill, around 20 minutes in the fridge before opening. A slightly cool red feels fresher next to the sweet-sour sauce.
- Pile it onto crusty bread as an antipasto, spoon it next to grilled chicken or fish, or add it to a sharing board with cheese and cured meats.
- Thinking ahead to Christmas? A big bowl of caponata is a brilliant make-ahead starter for a crowd, and Tasari is an easy red that most guests will enjoy.
The same bottle also works beautifully with arancine, pizza, and vegetable or bean dishes, so it earns its place on the table all winter long.
Come and taste it at Veeno
Our family wines are poured at every Veeno, so the easiest way to try Tasari is to join us for a glass. You will find us in Leeds, Leicester, Edinburgh, Durham, Northallerton and Wrocław.
If you would like to go deeper into Sicilian wine and food, book a Trip to Sicily wine tasting, the Quattro Vini tasting, or Step Into Our Cellar for a proper tour of our estate wines paired with food. And to learn more about where it all begins, read the story of our family vineyard in Marsala.
From our family's vineyard to your table,
Salute!
