Alcohol: 14%
Grape(s): Nerello Mascalese
Localization: Sicily, Italy
Tasting Notes: Darkly alluring and youthfully backward, the Etna Rosso Prephylloxera La Vigna di Don Peppino Calderara Sottana smolders up with a blend of sweet spices, dusty violets and ash, giving way to dried black cherries, sage and cloves. This is velvety yet finessed, with a polished wave of ripe red and blue fruit that flows across a juicy stream of acidity. Hints of sour citrus add contrast toward the close. It finishes remarkably fresh and energetic, still tannic but lively, as crunchy tannins resonate and an air of lavender slowly fades. This is an elegant and genuinely harmonious edition of this cuvée.
98 Points, James Suckling: "A fascinating wine showing flower stems, orange peel and bark with some dried mushrooms. The structure and length are exceptional with a medium to full body and tight, focused tannins. Ends with a persistent, polished and refined finish. Caresses in every sense. Better in five years but if you get the chance to drink now, go for it!.."
Food pairing: Pair this wine alongside pasta dishes, meat dishes, and fresh cheeses.
The Domain: Tenuta Delle Terre Nere is the fruit of over 30 years of passion and works in the world of fine wine.
And an extraordinary location, as well - this "island within an island" that is the Etna. A place where nature is prodigal but also severe. And here they try with all their heart to express as purely as possible the refined and multifaceted microcosm of this ancient volcanic land. With respect, care and hard farm work, always in organic balance.
The estate's philosophy is simple. Given an extreme climate, in order to obtain the best and most consistent ripening, our attention must focus on vineyard management. The finest workmanship in all aspects of viticulture is the first thing that sets them apart. And what enables them, bringing home exceptionally fine grapes, not to be invasive in their cellar work. A work best described as aimed above all at expressing the character of their varieties in their specific terroir.
A great team, a delicate hand, and a heightened sensibility, as well. And their ideas, that drives them to give the best of ourselves in the quest, not of perfection, but of the ideal bond between what nature gives us and that which our sensitivity, experience, and imagination suggest.
