Tornatore Etna Rosso 2019

$26.99

Only 8 left!

Alcohol: 14%

Grape(s): Nerello Mascalese

Localization: Sicily, Italy

Tasting Notes: Ruby red with faint purple, typical of this variety which is not very rich in color. Clear hints of red berries, morello cherry and black cherry on the nose. The taste is characterized by its typical balanced tannins and a surprising fullness, flavor and persistence.

Notes:  After the grapes are harvested by hand in small crates they are quickly brought to the winery where they are manually selected on a conveyor belt. Then they are destemmed and not completely crushed, and sent to truncated cone-shaped wooden vats, where they macerate for about 10/12 days at a temperature of 22/25 °C. On a daily basis, many times per day, the grapes on maceration are manually punched down with the usage of a pneumatic filling machine. After fermentation, the grapes are left to macerate for a few days more, then wine is separated from grape skins, which are pressed with a traditional vertical press. The wine obtained is aged in wooden barrels of 25 hectoliters for 12 months before being bottled.

The Domain: It is in the volcanic soils of Mt. Etna where the Tornatore family has set deep, centuries old roots. The Tornatores, one the oldest wine growing families on Mt. Etna, have lived in Sicily since 1680 and trace their Etna grape growing back to 1865. That heritage and the Tornatore’s profound respect and understanding of the land is showcased in wines that capture the essence of Etna, deftly balancing concentrated flavors, complexity, freshness and refinement.  

The Tornatore’s Etna roots have long grounded them in the flavors and patterns of their region, and it was this knowledge that inspired Francesco Tornatore to found his family’s winery in the town of Castiglione di Sicilia in 2010, nearly a century and a half after his great grandfather first planted vineyards on Mt. Etna. 

The region benefits from Sicily’s ample sunshine, but Mt. Etna’s high elevation also provides greater rainfall, moderating breezes and cooler temperatures. Etna’s unique nature means soils, microclimates and exposures change dramatically from site to site, creating a panorama of characteristics and possibilities in the vineyards. 

Tornatore blends artisan and modern winemaking to craft wines such as the Bianco and Rosso that display the full range of fruit and complex personality of Etna terroir, and single vineyard wines—Pietrarizzo with its high elevation and Trimarchisa with 40-year-old vines—that express the beauty and distinct character of their exceptional sites.