A ruby colour of moderate intensity in the glass, this Pietradolce Etna Rosso offers a pure bouquet of fragrant dark cherry and damson fruit notes. Occasionally likened to Pinot Noir, the Nerello Mascalese grape lends this Pietradolce Etna Rosso a medium body and fleshy texture, with plum and darker cherry notes to the fore, before hints of tea and tannin creep up as the wine evolves on the tongue. There’s a good level of cleansing acidity on the finish. Drink this now, or before 2018.
Pietradolce’s Etna Rosso is the entry level red wine of three red wines produced from Pietradolce’s estate vineyards on the side of Mount Etna. Composed of 100% hand harvested Nerello Mascalese grapes, this Pietradolce Etna Rosso was fermented in stainless steel tanks before undergoing three months of maturation in finely grained and lightly toasted French oak barrels. The aim was to add complexity, without losing the inherent characters of Sicily’s indigenous Nerello Mascalese grapes.
Established in the Sicilian town of Castiglione di Sicilia on the Northern slopes of Etna, Pietradolce has become one of the finest producers from Sicily in a very short time. Their flagship wine, an Etna Rosso called Vigna Barbagalli, has already received 100 points from James Suckling. There are 11 hectares of vineyards between 600-900 feet above sea, with three plots spanning two different territories (Rampante and Zottorinoto). The soil is characterised by stony, light, sandy loam and mineral deposits that are in abundance thanks to the local volcano. The winery credits the volcano as giving their wines the special characteristics that make them unique.
Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean and has a rich vinous history dating back over 2500 years. Its classic Mediterranean climate and soil has resulted in an area not only ideal for winemaking but also olives and citrus fruit which are key exports. Mount Etna dominates the landscape providing mineral-rich dark soil and vineyards are being planted higher up the slope. Historically more famous for the production of Marsala, serious transformation is taking place. Sicily is now becoming better known for top quality wines from a range of varietals including Grillo, Cataratto and Nero d’Avola alongside international varieties.
