Nero d'Avola Nero d'Avola Nero d'Avola (; "Black of Avola" in Italian) is "the most important red wine grape in Sicily" and is one of Italy's most important indigenous varieties. It is named after Avola in the far south of Sicily and its wines are compared to New World Shirazes, with sweet tannins and plum or peppery flavours. It also contributes to Marsala Rubino blends. "The Black Grape of Avola" appears to have been selected by growers near Avola (a small town in south east Sicily) several hundred years ago. Initially, it was confined to the southern tip of the island but
Italian cruiser Marsala at a cruising speed of . "Marsala" was armed with a main battery of six L/50 guns mounted singly. She was also equipped with six L/50 guns and two torpedo tubes. The ship was only lightly armored, with a thick deck, and thick plating on her main conning tower. "Marsala"s keel was laid down at the Castellammare shipyard on 15 February 1911, the same day as "Nino Bixio". Work on "Marsala" proceeded slower than on her sister, and she was launched on 24 March 1912, where she was named for the city where Giuseppe Garibaldi launched the Expedition of the