Girolamo Russo Etna Rosso 'a Rina 2021
Girolamo Russo
Girolamo Russo is among the finest interpreters of Etna's Nerello Mascalese, and 'a Rina captures the north slope's unique combination of altitude, volcanic soil, and old-vine intensity. This is Burgundian in structure but unmistakably Sicilian in soul — a wine shaped by difficulty, grown in soil that resists easy cultivation.
Nose
Red cherry and wild strawberry rise first, followed by crushed volcanic stone and a delicate floral note of dried rose. Faint hints of dried herbs and smoky minerality add complexity.
Palate
Elegant but taut, with bright cherry fruit wrapped around nervy acidity and fine-grained tannins. The volcanic terroir shows as a saline, almost ashy minerality that runs through the palate. A subtle herbal quality and cedar spice emerge midway.
Finish
Long and lifted, with cherry fruit persisting alongside mineral tension and a whisper of smoky wood.
- Varietal
- Nerello Mascalese
- Blend
- 95% Nerello Mascalese, 5% Nerello Cappuccio
- Vineyards
- Contrada Calderara Sottana, north slope of Mount Etna, 700m elevation, volcanic sand and ash soils
- Alcohol
- 14%
- Organic / Biodynamic
- No
Food Pairing
The earthy minerality and bright acidity of the Etna Rosso complement the umami depth of wild porcini and chanterelle mushrooms, while the cherry fruit cuts through the richness of the rice and aged pecorino.
From century-old ungrafted Nerello Mascalese vines growing at 700 meters on Mount Etna's north slope in the contrada of Calderara Sottana, winemaker Giuseppe Ferreri crafts this wine using indigenous yeast and extended maceration in concrete vats.
Be the first to comment.
Leave a comment
Nerello Mascalese Vigne Vecchie
Calabretta
Calabretta's old-vine Nerello Mascalese is a masterclass in how air and altitude sculpt a wine—vineyards perched high on Etna's slopes channel wind and volcanic breath into the glass. This is traditional Etna winemaking at its most soulful: no shortcuts, no polish, just pure terroir captured by a family that has farmed the same contrada for generations. A hauntingly beautiful wine that rewards patience and contemplation.
Perrin Cotes du Rhone Reserve Rouge 2022
Perrin
The Perrin family's Réserve Rouge remains one of the Rhône's most reliable everyday reds, delivering genuine terroir character at a fraction of the cost of their Châteauneuf-du-Pape holdings. It captures the warmth of a late November harvest—generous, grounding, and quietly soulful. A wine that pairs as well with weeknight suppers as it does with the season's final fireside gatherings.
Domaine Gramenon Côtes du Rhône La Sagesse 2022
Domaine Gramenon
La Sagesse means 'wisdom,' and this bottling from very old Grenache vines is aptly named. Michèle Aubéry-Laurent farms biodynamically and vinifies with minimal intervention — native yeast, no added sulfur, no fining or filtration. This is transparency in a bottle: terroir, vine age, and vintage, nothing hidden.
Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano DOCG 2019
Produttori del Barbaresco
The Produttori cooperative releases single-cru Riservas only in top vintages, and 2019 delivered. Montestefano is among the most structured of their nine crus, combining power with aromatic complexity that will reward a decade of patience — though it's rewarding now with a good decant.