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.
Kit Aromas
Nose
An intensely perfumed bouquet of dried wild roses, crushed volcanic stone, and sun-warmed cherry skin unfolds with unhurried grace. Secondary notes of dried oregano, blood orange zest, and a whisper of iron filings emerge as the wine breathes, each pass of air revealing new dimensions. There is a haunting smokiness beneath it all, like embers cooling on basalt.
Palate
The entry is delicate yet tensile, with tart red cherry and pomegranate seed framed by a fine-grained tannic architecture that speaks of old vines rooted deep in volcanic ash. Mid-palate, savory notes of dried thyme, black tea, and a briny minerality rise and fall with each sip. The acidity is electric and lifting, carrying the wine across the tongue with an almost weightless energy.
Finish
Long and gently smoky, fading through echoes of dried rose petals, volcanic mineral, and a final tang of sour cherry. The tannins linger like a soft exhalation.
- Varietal
- Nerello Mascalese
- Blend
- 100% Nerello Mascalese
- Vineyards
- Old vines (vigne vecchie) on the northern slope of Mount Etna, rooted in volcanic soils at high altitude
- Alcohol
- 14.0%
- Organic / Biodynamic
- No
Food Pairing
Serve alongside simply grilled lamb rib chops rubbed with dried oregano and rosemary, accompanied by roasted baby artichokes and a drizzle of Sicilian olive oil over warm farro. The lamb's char and herbal crust amplify the wine's savory, smoky undercurrent, while the artichokes' bitterness mirrors its tannic grip.
The Calabretta family has tended their ancient Nerello Mascalese vines on Etna's northern slope for over a century, letting the volcano's constant exhalations of mineral-laden air shape wines of rare transparency and soul.
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