2024 Tenuta Delle Terre Nere Rosso, Sicily

Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Rosso is a lifted, aromatic and quietly powerful red grown high on the volcanic slopes of Mount Etna. Nerello Mascalese dominates the blend with a splash of Nerello Cappuccio, drawn from multiple contrade on the northern side of the volcano where black basalt soils, altitude, and fierce diurnal shifts shape fruit of incredible fragrance and tension. Winemaker Marco de Grazia farms organically and picks by hand, then allows native ferments and gentle extraction before ageing in large neutral oak so that the wine’s wild mineral pulse and fine structure remain fully intact. This is Sicily’s most dramatic terroir bottled with purity and finesse.

Bright red cherry, wild strawberry and pomegranate lead the aromatics, wrapped in rose petal, orange peel and sweet Mediterranean herbs. Etna’s volcanic imprint brings smoky flint, crushed pumice and a whisper of iron, adding depth beneath the pretty fruit. As air works through the glass, hints of anise, cedar and dried flowers unfold with quiet sophistication.

The palate is graceful yet firmly shaped, like a meeting of Pinot Noir perfume and Nebbiolo tannin. Juicy red fruits glide over fine, chalk dust tannins and vibrant natural acidity. Flavours of sour cherry, cranberry, subtle spice and mineral earth tighten into a long, linear finish that leaves a cool, volcanic echo. It is delicious now but develops beautifully over five to ten years, gaining deeper savoury notes while retaining its freshness.

Brilliant with grilled swordfish, Caponata, porcini risotto, lamb cutlets with rosemary, pecorino or a table full of Sicilian antipasti. A wine that feels both ancient and modern, elegant and elemental.