Nerello Mascalese from Etna Rosso, Sicily, Italy; medium to medium plus bodied and dry, earthy with layers of ripe raspberry and spice, hints of meat and smoke, with an oily texture and medium acid, a dry tannic grip, and a dark juicy fruit finish. Org, Bio, Sust, Vegan
This wine, made from 100% old-vine Nerello Mascalese, is from a family that has owned vineyards and made wine on Etna since 1860. Brother and sister winemaking team Giacomo and Flavia Rallo have taken the lead in continuing the tradition of making organic, natural wines to best showcase their family's vineyards. The vines, between 20 and 30 years old, come from some of the best terroirs on the volcano: the North Slope of Mount Etna, in the Zottorinoto and Puntale Palino contrada of Solicchiata, a hamlet of Castiglione di Sicilia, at 950 meters (3116 feet) altitude and on sandy volcanic soils. They are treated Organically, hand-harvested, wild yeast fermented in stainless steel, then aged 12 months in used Slavonian oak. Once bottled lightly fined and lightly filtered, with a drop of SO2, they age another 12 months in bottle.