Tasting Notes
This wine is sustainably produced (certified) from Nerello Mascalese grapes cultivated in the Pietrarizzo vineyard on the slopes of active volcano, Mount Etna. Tornatore use a mix of old and more modern practices in their wine-making and whilst Nerello Mascalese has a tendency to be very high in alcohol they try to rein it in and produce fruit-focused wines.
I tasted this wine a while ago and did not need to think twice when a customer asked if I could get hold of an Etna Rosso wine. It’s a little lighter in colour than some red wines, a little like a Pinot Noir but it’s full of complexity and different flavours; aside from the red fruits, there are balsamic, herbal and mineral notes. Vinified in concrete tanks to maintain the fruit focus, the wine is aged in large barrels and in bottle for three months before release. What is most striking is the texture of this wine, very smooth with soft tannins and a long-lasting finish.
Food Pairing
This wine is so smooth with very soft tannins, high acidity and fruit flavours that it can be enjuoyed without food. But also recommended to drink with lamb, game, duck, goose, steak and other red meats, pancetta-based and tomato-based dishes
Producer's Notes
“Ruby red, delicate and incredibly balanced on the nose, clear hints of red berries, flowers, perfectly integrated to a minerality and evolution worthy of a great wine. Great structure on the mouth with a surprising drinkability and elegance.”
Awards
90 points – RobertParker.com – Oct 2019
“The 2017 Etna Rosso Pietrarizzo is quite fascinating in that it shows a very prominent note of eucalyptus or crushed bay leaf. Those balsam notes add to the brightness of the bouquet and the overall intensity. The effect is quite stunning. This wine is unique in terms of its aromatic offering.”
17 points – JancisRobinson.com
“Smells like smoked chipotle chilli blown over stove-top cooked damsons. This is a prima ballerina of a wine. Taut, muscled, not an ounce of fat on those tannins and a structure that dances, ethereal, on point, and tightly, tightly controlled. Roast damson, rose-hip jam (although bone dry, not sweet), mole, yet transparent, jewelled, fine.”