The Still & The VineSchool of Wine & Spirits
Graci Etna Rosso DOC 2021
Red WineIssue 128

Graci Etna Rosso DOC 2021

Graci

Etna, Sicily, Italy
Alberto Ferrandes Ferrandes Ferrandes Graci's estate sits on Mount Etna's north face, where centenary ungrafted Nerello Mascalese vines grow in black volcanic sand. This is a wine that tastes like its place — electric, mineral, alive. The heat of the volcano is in every glass.

Kit Aromas

Tasting Notes

Nose

Wild cherry and crushed red berries open with a distinctive volcanic mineral edge — ash and iron filings. Dried herbs, rose petal, and a whisper of smoky char from the volcanic soils add complexity.

Palate

Lithe and electric. Sour cherry and pomegranate fruit sit atop crunchy acidity and fine-grained tannins. There's a savory, almost gamey undercurrent and a persistent minerality that makes each sip feel grounded.

Finish

Long for the weight, with lingering cherry, violet, and an almost saline mineral persistence.

Specifications
Varietal
Nerello Mascalese
Blend
100% Nerello Mascalese
Vineyards
Estate vineyards on Mount Etna's north face, Contrada Arcurìa and surrounding plots, 600-700m elevation, volcanic sand soils
Alcohol
13.5%
Organic / Biodynamic
No
Serve & Pair

Food Pairing

Charcoal-grilled swordfish steaks served with warm Sicilian caponata — eggplant, tomatoes, capers, and pine nuts in a sweet-and-sour sauce. The dish's smoky char and Mediterranean flavors mirror the wine's volcanic minerality.

The Story

Grown on Alberto Graci's family estate on the northern slopes of Mount Etna at 600-700 meters elevation, where pre-phylloxera Nerello Mascalese vines push their roots through layers of ancient lava flows.

Train These Aromas
Comments

Be the first to comment.

Leave a comment

0 / 4,000

First-time comments are reviewed before appearing. Be kind, be specific, no spam.

More Red Wine Reviews
Domaine de l'Hortus Grande Cuvée Pic Saint-Loup 2020
Red Wine

Domaine de l'Hortus Grande Cuvée Pic Saint-Loup 2020

Domaine de l'Hortus

Domaine de l'Hortus Grande Cuvée is a masterful expression of Pic Saint-Loup — a region where the altitude and dramatic temperature swings between day and night produce wines of remarkable freshness despite the Mediterranean heat. This is serious Languedoc red at a fraction of Rhône Valley prices.

Domaine de la Côte Pinot Noir Estates 2021
Red Wine

Domaine de la Côte Pinot Noir Estates 2021

Domaine de la Côte

Rajat Parr and Sashi Moorman's estate-wide blend offers a window into their meticulous Sta. Rita Hills farming without the single-vineyard price tag. It drinks like Burgundy in its restraint and transparency, proving that California Pinot Noir can whisper rather than shout.

Domaine de la Bouïssière Gigondas Les Olivets 2021
Red Wine

Domaine de la Bouïssière Gigondas Les Olivets 2021

Domaine de la Bouïssière

The Faravel family farms old-vine Grenache and Mourvèdre on Gigondas's rocky Dentelles de Montmirail slopes, where low yields and extreme diurnal temperature swings build concentration naturally. Les Olivets is their flagship — a wine of real substance that never sacrifices drinkability for power. Give it thirty minutes in a decanter and it opens beautifully.

Pietradolce Etna Rosso DOC 2021
Red Wine

Pietradolce Etna Rosso DOC 2021

Pietradolce

Pietradolce farms some of the highest vineyards on Etna's north slope, and this entry-level Rosso punches well above its price. Nerello Mascalese shows its best here — transparent, mineral-driven, alive with tension. It's a red wine that feels like it was drawn from the rock itself.