June 17, 2023 - Ripe and abundant fruit. Well structured and mature. Medium body and acid. Medium to long length and pleasant finish. Well done!
November 8, 2022 - Nice deep color. Cherries, raspberries, licorice, tar, licorice, and floral in the nose. Dense, berry fruit in the flavor with cherries, red raspberries, coffee with minerals and a hint of mint. Nice structure and intensity, medium bodied, nice complexity and acidity and a long lingering finish.
April 15, 2022 - My first bottle (L9-03-10) in over three years and, remarkably, I am not changing a word of my notes from that bottle: The 2008 Santo Spirito is a full shade darker than most Etnas. It was popped and poured through a gravity aerator, stayed closed for 20 minutes, and fully opened after 90 minutes. The cherry fragrances are intense and complemented by exotic spices, flowers, leather, smoke, and anise. This is big, dense, rich and creamy, yet with plenty of acid and tannin. All is in harmony, including the 14% alcohol. It has an intense and long finish of minerals, bitter cherry and sweet cherry. One of the best Etnas I’ve had, this will drink beautifully over the next ten years.
January 28, 2022 - one of the better Aetnas that I have had. Deep dark garnet color. Cherry leather upfront on the nose. Palate reveals a fair amount of tannins and acidity still at work carrying this array of fruits with road tar and hints of mint on the finish. Good for a few more years. Best with food.
September 26, 2021 - Lovely, mature and drinking very well but like almost all Italian reds this is definitely a food wine. This wine likes a lot of air at this point. Softening and acids still present but integrating well. Many years to go with appropriate cellaring. Almost inky black, good mouth feel and lingering medium long somewhat bright aftertaste. Nose of red fruit, anise and tar with a complex darker flavor profile of dark cherry, coffee, anise and earthy terroir. Represents Sicilian wine making at it's best. Highly recommend this wine.
May 24, 2021 - Dark brown sugar, anise, beef bouillon, mint, leather, balsa. Medium bodied with medium-plus acidity. Saline finish with plenty of fine tannins left to resolve. Excellent wine for the table. In fact, it quite needs something to help cut through the structure (92+). Drink to 2028.
February 9, 2019 - The 2008 Santo Spirito is a full shade darker than most Etnas. It was popped and poured through a gravity aerator, stayed closed for 20 minutes, and fully opened after 90 minutes. The cherry fragrances are intense and complemented by exotic spices, flowers, leather, smoke, and anise. This is big, dense, rich and creamy, yet with plenty of acid and tannin. All is in harmony, including the 14% alcohol. It has an intense and long finish of minerals, bitter cherry and sweet cherry. One of the best Etnas I’ve had, this will drink beautifully over the next ten years.
July 14, 2018 - Corked, but this seemed to be maturing and although still plenty of tannin it has balanced out a bit and I think with a few years could be enjoyable. NR
February 4, 2017 - Quite nice. Still needs more time in the bottle
November 25, 2016 - An expansive cavern with a black mineral lake--and seriously textured. If the fruit weren't so insistent this would be overly tannic. Instead it's a wine I'd love to try again in six or eight years: if the fruit can carry the day this will be special. Try in 2023.