2024 Pietradolce Etna Rosso DOC, Sicily

Restrained and complex Etna rosso with licorice, black pepper and smoky tones over red cherries and plums. Very juicy on the palate with medium body, energetically crisp acidity and tight yet ripe tannins. Drink now.

93 points jamessuckling.com

Brilliant, light ruby colour with garnet-red tendencies. Elegant bouquet, with notes of red currant, liquorice and some dried orange peel. On the palate with concentrated fruit, supporting tannins and fresh acidity, harmonious and persistent.

92 points falstaff.com

On the dramatic northern slopes of Mount Etna, Pietradolce crafts wines that feel almost elemental in their expression. Founded by Michele Faro, the estate focuses on high altitude vineyards planted in ancient volcanic soils where Nerello Mascalese thrives. The combination of intense sunlight, cool mountain air and black lava stone creates reds of striking perfume, tension and mineral depth. Etna Rosso is the winery’s calling card, a beautifully transparent interpretation of place that captures both the wildness and elegance of this unique Sicilian landscape.

A translucent ruby garnet colour shimmers in the glass. Aromas lift with sour cherry, wild strawberry and pomegranate layered alongside rose petal, dried thyme, ash and a subtle smoky mineral note. There is an unmistakable volcanic signature that adds intrigue. The palate is medium bodied and finely structured, red berry fruit gliding across firm yet refined tannins with notes of blood orange, spice and crushed lava rock bringing complexity. Bright acidity keeps everything vivid and precise, finishing long, savoury and quietly persistent with a hauntingly mineral echo.

This is the sort of red that invites you to slow down and let the wine tell its story. Picture a simple table, rustic Sicilian dishes, warm evening air and conversation that stretches long into the night. It pairs beautifully with grilled lamb, pasta alla Norma, roasted eggplant or aged pecorino. Drinking impressively now with a gentle decant, yet capable of evolving over eight to twelve years as earthy, dried flower and smoky nuances deepen. A soulful and authentic taste of Etna that shows Pietradolce at its compelling best.