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.
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