The custodians of the vines of Etna to translate the full name of this producer who has obviously invested a lot of everything into their place under the north slope of the volcano. One of five producers supervised by the Etna legend, Salvo Foti. A visit is a memorable thing both in visuals and flavour, I’ll try and post something more about the experience. This stood out from the reds tasted, so I bought a bottle for dinner. Though I must say it was the Ante Etna Bianchi that in hindsight were the most startling. Anyway, at the table with a plate of incredibly good fresh ricotta ravioli in pistachio pesto this was as rich and seamless as it tasted closer to the mountain. The usual Etna cherry and dark brown spices with a backing track of roasting nuts and the deep boom of the sweet damp organic soil whence it comes, fanciful maybe but….in short, deep red fruit cut with fine ashy tannin and ripe acidity. Etna Rosso’s fine chiselled fruit and its austere rocky texture perhaps aren’t the most alluring and easy to appreciate but once you get the taste, only more will do. The care and resources invested in these vines is more than apparent in the glass.
14% alcohol. Cork and a bit of a squelchy one. €32 at the winery.
95 points.
Cognitive Bottle Therapy 