Terroir-istes International - Italy, Sicily, Etna & Outliers

Groot Constantia
Tasted Monday, January 11, 2016 by rikipedia with 20 views

Flight 1 - Whites and Rose from 2012 (3 Notes)

  • 2012 Terrazze dell'Etna Terre Siciliane Ciuri 89 Points

    Italy, Sicily, Terre Siciliane

    (Tasted Blind): Light to very light lemon; aromas of mineral, hay, lemon peel and a dry lemon rubbing against rocks. Touches of white flowers of lily and jasmine.
    A mineral-driven entry with crisp acidity and vibrant lemon flavours. It has a lovely angle and a linear, tight structure. The taste combines lemon juice and lemon pith, with hints of sorrel, smoke, white pepper and a touch of quince. Whilst there is a phenolic texture, I enjoyed its citrus, flinty characteristics, and lean profile that moves towards a long-lasting finish.
    It is made with Nerello Mascalese red grape but vinified as a white wine.

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  • 2012 Pietradolce Etna Archineri Bianco 87 Points

    Italy, Sicily, Etna DOC

    (Tasted Blind): Light straw lemon in colour; the nose shows some wood and savoury notes, touching on yeast extract and lees. A mineral entry with some peach notes, not unlike a Chardonnay, also has some richer, slightly saggy oxidative characteristics (or more aldehydic. It's a little rustic perhaps, warmer yet has concentration. Vines are between 100 and 120 years old.

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  • 2012 Pietradolce Etna Rosato 87 Points

    Italy, Sicily, Etna DOC

    (Tasted Blind): Partridge eye to slightly darker in colour; Delicate aromas of strawberries, breakfast punch, crushed rocks and ripe white melon.
    The entry reflects with mineral, melon and some citrus that seem to improve as you swirl the glass. An edgy acid that cuts through the juicy fruits to give balance.

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Flight 2 - Etna Reds from 2012 and 2013 (3 Notes)

  • 2013 Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Rosso 88 Points

    Italy, Sicily, Etna DOC

    (Tasted Blind): Light to mid crimson; the nose is dominated by soft ripened red cherries, giving lift. Pure fruited, there is a touch of mineral, quarry dust and some pressed flowers. A pretty wine that is lifted. The palate follows suit with an unadulterated, pure-fruited wine that, while simple, is ultimately delicious. Plenty of sour cherry, mineral and gentle stalky notes with a mid-palate perfume keeping it interesting
    Made from Nerello Mascalese & Nerello Mantellato

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  • 2013 Tenuta di Aglaea Etna Thalia 90 Points

    Italy, Sicily, Etna DOC

    (Tasted Blind): Light to mid-red to strawberry-red edges. A lifted, fairly powerful nose that encompasses bright red cherry, freshly-picked herbs, vanilla bean, cola sweets and redcurrant jelly. In total, it smells like a carpet of crushed red cherries.
    I pick up some acetaldehyde volatility that feels pungent but acceptable. The mid-palate is concentrated with lively, bright acidity and flavours reminiscent of cough syrup, redcurrant juice, and a cola-like element - akin to sucking on cola fizzes. These are joined by rose petals, mint, and even a licorice-like character. Expressive yet delicate, there is a lightness of touch and a long lingering finish. Closes with cherry stones tannins, relatively grippy and bone dry, brings to mind a blackcurrant bombe with a touch of Ribena drink! Just starting to gain complexity; this is very different but enjoyable.

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  • 2012 Pietradolce Etna Rosso 89 Points

    Italy, Sicily, Etna DOC

    (Tasted Blind): Light brownish-red hue, again with a heady nose showing prominent leather, smoke and dry undergrowth with notes reminiscent of tan hide. There are also fresh, savoury meat aromas, giving a sense of Mourvedre-style, some umami, and a red cherries twist. It seems a more traditional style.
    The palate stands out as very different, resembling the savoury style of Piedmont with its firmer tannins, mineral edges and an earthy grip - the use of stems adds complexity. The fruit is strawberry and red cherry.
    The finish is medium with some aldehydic notes that remind me of empty old foudres - like old-fashioned Rioja.
    14.5% Alc; the Nerello Mascalese bush vine vineyards (called alberello) were planted in 2006, 600 m asl. Use older 500 L wooden foudres.

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Flight 3 - Etna Reds from Terre Nere sites, only 2009 (3 Notes)

  • 2009 Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Rosso Guardiola 92 Points

    Italy, Sicily, Etna DOC

    (Tasted Blind): Light red-brown with a touch of mahogany on the rim. Another lifted style, clearly the volcanic soils adding to the heady fragrance! This time, it is more potent with ash and minerals combined with more noticeable new oak. Flavours of bing cherry, pressed red flower petals and a hint of liquorice abound. Fabulous aromatic profile!
    Complex and deep, the palate entry reflects the nose with plenty of soft fleshiness, zippy acidity, and a gritty texture. A well-structured, more concentrated wine, suggesting older vines, the tannins are chewy and firm but don't build towards the long finish and offset the flesh very nicely. I questioned whether there is a touch of VA, but it works well within the overall composition. Made from Nerello Mascalese & Nerello Mantellato

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  • 2009 Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Rosso Santo Spirito 92 Points

    Italy, Sicily, Etna DOC

    (Tasted Blind): Light red to the mahogany rim, the nose is characterised by an aromatic intense showing red cherries, blackcurrants, minerals and a hint of Ribena.
    The entry offers ample fleshiness powdery texture towards chewy cherry stone tannins. Typical drying tannins tend to build but add structure, but this is offset by plenty of ripe cherries, Victoria plum and a sprinkling of baking spices. The mid-palate exhibits orange peel, blood grapefruit and sea salt. It is an elegant, finely poised wine with a mineral infusion that persists to a long finish. Improved in glass. Made from Nerello Mascalese & Nerello Mantellato

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  • 2009 Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Rosso PrePhylloxera La Vigna di Don Peppino 95 Points

    Italy, Sicily, Etna DOC

    (Tasted Blind): Light to mid mahogany with brown undertones. Touch of aldehyde on the nose, but slowly enhanced by sour cherries, leather and pulverised rocks.
    A concentrated, intense and powerful entry is complex with precise firm tannins and expressive fruit. The acid is mineral-edged, and the finish is super long. Cracking wine, this is elegance personified! Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Mantellato grapes aged 130-140 years old

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Flight 4 - Sicily General and Islands (2 Notes)

  • 2013 COS Vittoria Pithos Rosso 90 Points

    Italy, Sicily, Vittoria DOC

    (Tasted Blind): Mid-red-purple in colour, the nose offers a combination of briary flavours such as black cherries, blackberries, blackcurrants, dried strawberries and black raspberries with a floral attribute of dried rose petals, jasmine and potpourri. There is a mineral element, too.
    The taste is quite different, with far more perfume taking over, especially rose, freshly picked herbs and redder berries over black. Fleshy in the mid-palate is a tartness of sour cherry skin and a mineral element from the amphora ageing—exciting wine with fine-grained tannins, elegance and a medium finish.
    Biodynamic farmed and made from 60% Nero d'Avola and 40% Frappato. Natural ferment in large amphoras with up to 3 months of post-ferment maceration.

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  • 2013 Hauner Hierà 88 Points

    Italy, Sicily, Terre Siciliane

    (Tasted Blind): Mid to deep purple-black colour. the aromas are a combination of mineral, black cherry, blackberry flesh, smoke, violet, and volcanic dust. A fleshy and soft textural entry with a mid-palate aromatic lift of flavours with flavours of cherry chew sweets, black plum, Ribena, and cola drops with a sprinkle of black pepper. Vibrant fresh acid profile it balances nicely with the riper flesh of the southern part of Italy.
    Blend includes Calabrese, Alicante, and Nocera or Nero d'Avola, Alicante, and Nocera

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