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Terrazze dell'Etna
Bin 75
Tasted May 12, 2015 by Rezy13 with 472 views
Flight 1 (5 notes)
Rosé - Sparkling
2011 Terrazze dell'Etna Terre Siciliane Brut Rosé
90% Pinot Nero, 10% Nerello Mascalese; Champagne Method; 3 years on lees; from vines 900m high; very pale pink (saignee), super fine bubbles; soft round cherry and strawberry, good tartness; nice depth and richness, fuller, softer acid though lots there, light floral finish; very pretty and tasty.
White
2012 Terrazze dell'Etna Terre Siciliane Ciuri
From the Sicilian word for flower; pale straw; mint, melon, light, white rock, faint chamomile; fresh, higher acid, mineral but not sharply so, penetrating, long; delicious.
Red
2011 Terrazze dell'Etna Etna Carusu
Sicilian for young man; 80% Mascalese, 20% Capuccio; dull red, paler rim; medicinal red cherry, meaty, slight orange, lots of rose, sandalwood; denser mouthfeel than many young Nerellos, leans more towards Nebbiolo, tannin there but not dry; good.
Red
2009 Terrazze dell'Etna Etna Cirneco
Named after an Egyptian dog that hunts rabbits; 100% Mascalese; dull crimson, rusty rim; musky cherry, licorice, orange oil, some oak, sandalwood, candy cane, like ripe Nebbiolo, interesting nose; fresh palate, compact, fine but grainy tannin, some mineral, smoky finish; delicious.
Red
2010 Terrazze dell'Etna Terre Siciliane Cratere
Meaning crater; 80% Mascalese, 20% Petit Verdot; denser extraction, dark garnet; meaty, dark fruit, cedary, wood tannin; dark fruit, a certain juiciness to the fruit, lots of tannin and lower acid, some oak tannin, concrete dust; ok.
Closing
Tasting with owner, Gloria Fossati. This was the rollout tour of her wines in the USA. I sincerely hope the wines catch on and are a mainstay in our market.
Overall, her wines were very nice with a couple out of the ordinary for Sicily: sparkling wine done in the Champagne method and a really successful white from 100% Nerello Mascalese pressed off of the skins. Both were my favorites from the tasting. Petit Verdot is also rare but having tasted Passopisciaro's Franchetti I am well aware of the potential for the varietal.