Bought this one at an enoteca in a village at Etna’s northern slope a couple of weeks ago. It was just standing on the shelf, so I knew it might be a bit risky. It was really tight at first, but opened up somewhat after decanting. Ripe cherry, leather, licorice, but it’s past its time. If you’ve still got one, it’s time to drink it up!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
In a good spot, rather tertiary, lots of spice and a nice tobacco note, but there's still a pretty tart cherry compote note to accompany all the complex non-fruit stuff. Tart and spicy finish. Very nice, definitely in its plateau, not sure it'll be worth following much longer, but who knows.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Medium ruby in colour with restrained aromas of floral/blossoms, interesting minerality, red fruit & faint oak. On the palate, medium bodied very tart red fruit, strawberry/red cherry, hint oak, floral, high acidity & unexpectedly high tannins. Finish is medium to long with tart berries & a somewhat earthy minerality. This is a very interesting, enjoyable wine that comes off tasting like a Nebbiolo with a background of Pinot Noir.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Var spent på om 8 år i kjelleren gav det jeg håper, og ja, vinen er flott modnet og helt nyedelig. Tydelig brun kant. Det er frukt tilstede, samt flotte avslepte tanniner som gir deilig matvin.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
this is settling nicely into its sweet spot. it's showing some age and has lots of pop in its aromatics and flavour profile. ...it benefits from a little air after opening. red berry fruit of strawberry and cranberry, mineral notes, soil, some smoke and there's a slight saline quality. palate is lifted with bright acidity, mineral notes again, which are dominant, and there's a slight but detectable high sweet note the swirls on the tongue. berry fruit, spice and some pepper reveal themselves through the pleasantly tannic finish. very good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Super Bowl (Chicago, IL): Nose: The nose is aromatic and balanced with plums, dark red cherries, strawberries, red fruits, licorice, violets, roses, spice notes, and tobacco tones. There is good depth with a seamless quality to the tones.
Taste: The feel is medium bodied with refreshing, medium+ acidity and silky, medium+ tannins. The structure is noticeable but it is starting to take a backseat. The feel is elegant and balanced with plums, dark red cherries, strawberries, violets, spice notes, licorice, and tobacco tones.
Overall: This is drinking beautifully and still has years to go. The tones have really melded into each other while still showing a balanced primary quality.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Kräftig, erdig, lang. Ein leicht undefinierbarer Abgang (Moni: hat ein Fehler!). Ähnelt einem Nebbiolo aus dem Piemont (ähnlich einem Prinsi Barbaresco). Noch zu jung. The legs are slow. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like forest floor, coffee, light toast and ethanol. The body is medium/full. The wine has leathery texture. The wine finishes long. The wine has low acidity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
not quite medium red. Not terribly expressive, but it is of ripe red currant fruit, herb and an animal note. Light red fruit - cranberry. Very pure fruit for twenty seconds then a taste of stems and some oak. Light in the mouth but long with lively acid and firm tannin appearing only on the finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The grapes are sourced from 70-150 yo parcels in Calderara Sottana, totaling to just 1 ha - a part of which remains ungrafted (and most of which goes into the Vigna di Don Peppino cuvée). Fermented partly in stainless steel, partly in oak. Macerated for 8-10 days on the skins. Aged in oak barrels (5% new) of different sizes, ranging from 225 l barriques to 3000-liter casks.
Translucent black cherry red color. Somewhat restrained, dusty and quite savory nose with complex aromas of sour cherries, some volcanic smoky character, a little bit of dry wood bark, light red plum tones, a hint of sweeter dark fruits and a touch of gravelly minerality. The wine is light-bodied, fresh and juicy on the palate with bright, focused flavors of sour cherries, ripe dark fruits, some smoky tones, a little bit of angular stony minerality, light tart red berry tones, a hint of sweeter raisiny fruit and a touch of tangy salinity. There's an understated sense of concentration, which lends some balancing sense of weight to the otherwise rather light and delicate overall mouthfeel. Structure-wise the wine is perfectly balanced with its bright, high acidity and somewhat grippy medium tannins. The finish is extremely long, moderately tannic and quite ripe with somewhat concentrated, pure flavors of ripe black cherries, stony minerality, some saline tang, a little bit of smoky character, a little bit of tart cranberry-driven red fruit and a hint of savory earthy spice.
A beautiful, vibrant and wonderfully pure Etna Rosso with impeccable sense of balance, showing wonderful interplay of light, delicate body and quite concentrated old-vine fruit. Although the wine shows some sunny ripeness typical of Etna red wines, the wine is wonderfully dry and acid-driven with such earthy and mineral overtones I can't help but draw parallels to the greatest Pinot Noirs of Burgundy. Very few wines outside Burgundy show such power, intensity and complexity in wines that appear so light and delicate at first and only with enough time unravel to show the true depth of the wine. Although drinking wonderfully already, I have no doubts this wine will continue to improve for the next 10-15 years. Great value at 33,60€. Highly recommended.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Completely closed at this time. Showing bright strawberry and terroir driven minerality. Still get a few left and will wait for a year or two before open again.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Volcanic nose, with sulphur, black soil - intensely mineral, where raspberry and strawberry undertones flutter through the interstices, but never compromise the austere rockiness. Palate is medium bodied, energetic, nervous, with clear correspondence to the minerality on the nose and very limited sweetness from the fruit. Needs food. It is a cliche, but compares well to much more expensive Burgundy. Terroir driven, well-made wine, which will probably disappoint New World fanatics with the palates of twelve year olds, but will satisfy the open-minded and pensive connoisseur.
As for ageing potential, I withhold judgment until I have occasion to revisit this again in a decade's time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Savory, dried strawberry, red berry preserves; medium body with good concentration; tangy finish, dry dusty ample tannins, great stuffing, minerality, character.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
What a tremendous bouquet, showing olive and earth up front, followed by rich and massive wave of black cherry, currant and spice with hints of undergrowth. On the palate, it was soft and caressing, displaying ripe cherry and strawberry in a pliant and positively satiating experience. It finished with medium length, as its fruit tapered off and left the mouth watering. This wine was a gentle giant.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Robert Houde Tasting and Sale (Vin Chicago - Chicago IL): Tasting, brief note. Red cherry and berry throughout with impressive depth and concentration for its price. Crunchy minerality and firm textures. Cellar until at least 2020.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Definitely something special from the volcanic region. Mild nose, concentrated fruits on the palate with slight note of mineral, good balance, certain degree of complexity, very soft tannin in the end. Delicious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very pale color; some volcanic in the nose, roses, strawberries, slight candy; fresh on the palate, Burg-like, grip on the finish from the tannin, very solid mid.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is a gorgeous wine of rich textures balanced by intense, focused fruit and dusty tannin. The nose showed depths of dark red fruit, spice and black earth. On the palate, it was intense and concentrated, yet perfectly balanced with crushed raspberry turning more to earth and minerals with a tannin heft, begging for at least of few years in the cellar before optimal enjoyment. The structure here was perfectly balanced to it's fruit intensity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
VinItaly Day 4 (Verona, Italy): 600m in elevation; bright rose with paler rim; really perfumed and sexy nose, everything seems nicely integrated; very soft and tasty.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
4/12/2024 - thebiggestlie wrote: flawed
Bought this one at an enoteca in a village at Etna’s northern slope a couple of weeks ago. It was just standing on the shelf, so I knew it might be a bit risky. It was really tight at first, but opened up somewhat after decanting. Ripe cherry, leather, licorice, but it’s past its time. If you’ve still got one, it’s time to drink it up!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/20/2024 - viniferatu Likes this wine:
In a good spot, rather tertiary, lots of spice and a nice tobacco note, but there's still a pretty tart cherry compote note to accompany all the complex non-fruit stuff. Tart and spicy finish. Very nice, definitely in its plateau, not sure it'll be worth following much longer, but who knows.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/17/2021 - CDT Likes this wine: 90 Points
Medium ruby in colour with restrained aromas of floral/blossoms, interesting minerality, red fruit & faint oak.
On the palate, medium bodied very tart red fruit, strawberry/red cherry, hint oak, floral, high acidity & unexpectedly high tannins. Finish is medium to long with tart berries & a somewhat earthy minerality.
This is a very interesting, enjoyable wine that comes off tasting like a Nebbiolo with a background of Pinot Noir.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/7/2021 - sunnylea57 wrote:
Two corked bottles in a row.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/6/2021 - dagmf Likes this wine: 91 Points
Var spent på om 8 år i kjelleren gav det jeg håper, og ja, vinen er flott modnet og helt nyedelig. Tydelig brun kant. Det er frukt tilstede, samt flotte avslepte tanniner som gir deilig matvin.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/20/2021 - #1 or #2? Likes this wine: 92 Points
this is settling nicely into its sweet spot. it's showing some age and has lots of pop in its aromatics and flavour profile. ...it benefits from a little air after opening. red berry fruit of strawberry and cranberry, mineral notes, soil, some smoke and there's a slight saline quality. palate is lifted with bright acidity, mineral notes again, which are dominant, and there's a slight but detectable high sweet note the swirls on the tongue. berry fruit, spice and some pepper reveal themselves through the pleasantly tannic finish. very good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/2/2020 - KeithAkers wrote: 91 Points
Super Bowl (Chicago, IL): Nose: The nose is aromatic and balanced with plums, dark red cherries, strawberries, red fruits, licorice, violets, roses, spice notes, and tobacco tones. There is good depth with a seamless quality to the tones.
Taste: The feel is medium bodied with refreshing, medium+ acidity and silky, medium+ tannins. The structure is noticeable but it is starting to take a backseat. The feel is elegant and balanced with plums, dark red cherries, strawberries, violets, spice notes, licorice, and tobacco tones.
Overall: This is drinking beautifully and still has years to go. The tones have really melded into each other while still showing a balanced primary quality.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/21/2018 - AudunG wrote: 87 Points
Earthy aromas with some oak. Light, meaty, soft and attractive on the palate. Lacks some concentration.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/13/2017 - Daniel M. Likes this wine: 85 Points
Kräftig, erdig, lang. Ein leicht undefinierbarer Abgang (Moni: hat ein Fehler!). Ähnelt einem Nebbiolo aus dem Piemont (ähnlich einem Prinsi Barbaresco). Noch zu jung.
The legs are slow. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like forest floor, coffee, light toast and ethanol. The body is medium/full. The wine has leathery texture. The wine finishes long. The wine has low acidity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/1/2016 - KVM wrote:
not quite medium red. Not terribly expressive, but it is of ripe red currant fruit, herb and an animal note. Light red fruit - cranberry. Very pure fruit for twenty seconds then a taste of stems and some oak. Light in the mouth but long with lively acid and firm tannin appearing only on the finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/29/2016 - CADomer Likes this wine: 90 Points
Seems like it is in a slightly closed phase. Only a hint of bright cherries with dusty saline minerality dominating.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/11/2016 - forceberry wrote: 94 Points
The grapes are sourced from 70-150 yo parcels in Calderara Sottana, totaling to just 1 ha - a part of which remains ungrafted (and most of which goes into the Vigna di Don Peppino cuvée). Fermented partly in stainless steel, partly in oak. Macerated for 8-10 days on the skins. Aged in oak barrels (5% new) of different sizes, ranging from 225 l barriques to 3000-liter casks.
Translucent black cherry red color. Somewhat restrained, dusty and quite savory nose with complex aromas of sour cherries, some volcanic smoky character, a little bit of dry wood bark, light red plum tones, a hint of sweeter dark fruits and a touch of gravelly minerality. The wine is light-bodied, fresh and juicy on the palate with bright, focused flavors of sour cherries, ripe dark fruits, some smoky tones, a little bit of angular stony minerality, light tart red berry tones, a hint of sweeter raisiny fruit and a touch of tangy salinity. There's an understated sense of concentration, which lends some balancing sense of weight to the otherwise rather light and delicate overall mouthfeel. Structure-wise the wine is perfectly balanced with its bright, high acidity and somewhat grippy medium tannins. The finish is extremely long, moderately tannic and quite ripe with somewhat concentrated, pure flavors of ripe black cherries, stony minerality, some saline tang, a little bit of smoky character, a little bit of tart cranberry-driven red fruit and a hint of savory earthy spice.
A beautiful, vibrant and wonderfully pure Etna Rosso with impeccable sense of balance, showing wonderful interplay of light, delicate body and quite concentrated old-vine fruit. Although the wine shows some sunny ripeness typical of Etna red wines, the wine is wonderfully dry and acid-driven with such earthy and mineral overtones I can't help but draw parallels to the greatest Pinot Noirs of Burgundy. Very few wines outside Burgundy show such power, intensity and complexity in wines that appear so light and delicate at first and only with enough time unravel to show the true depth of the wine. Although drinking wonderfully already, I have no doubts this wine will continue to improve for the next 10-15 years. Great value at 33,60€. Highly recommended.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/24/2016 - Davy Leung wrote: 89 Points
Completely closed at this time. Showing bright strawberry and terroir driven minerality. Still get a few left and will wait for a year or two before open again.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/21/2016 - TheNeuroticDobermann Likes this wine: 90 Points
Volcanic nose, with sulphur, black soil - intensely mineral, where raspberry and strawberry undertones flutter through the interstices, but never compromise the austere rockiness. Palate is medium bodied, energetic, nervous, with clear correspondence to the minerality on the nose and very limited sweetness from the fruit. Needs food. It is a cliche, but compares well to much more expensive Burgundy. Terroir driven, well-made wine, which will probably disappoint New World fanatics with the palates of twelve year olds, but will satisfy the open-minded and pensive connoisseur.
As for ageing potential, I withhold judgment until I have occasion to revisit this again in a decade's time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/10/2016 - peternelson wrote: 92 Points
Savory, dried strawberry, red berry preserves; medium body with good concentration; tangy finish, dry dusty ample tannins, great stuffing, minerality, character.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/15/2016 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 92 Points
What a tremendous bouquet, showing olive and earth up front, followed by rich and massive wave of black cherry, currant and spice with hints of undergrowth. On the palate, it was soft and caressing, displaying ripe cherry and strawberry in a pliant and positively satiating experience. It finished with medium length, as its fruit tapered off and left the mouth watering. This wine was a gentle giant.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/1/2016 - Burgundy Al wrote: 91 Points
Robert Houde Tasting and Sale (Vin Chicago - Chicago IL): Tasting, brief note. Red cherry and berry throughout with impressive depth and concentration for its price. Crunchy minerality and firm textures. Cellar until at least 2020.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/9/2016 - mullerlele Likes this wine: 92 Points
Definitely something special from the volcanic region. Mild nose, concentrated fruits on the palate with slight note of mineral, good balance, certain degree of complexity, very soft tannin in the end. Delicious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/2/2015 - Rezy13 wrote:
Very pale color; some volcanic in the nose, roses, strawberries, slight candy; fresh on the palate, Burg-like, grip on the finish from the tannin, very solid mid.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/18/2015 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Brawny.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/13/2015 - Rollerball wrote: 88 Points
Berries, salt, tar, ash. Sweet, very appealing nose. Green pepper. Additional green notes. A little harsh right now. Wait 3 years and try in 2018.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/18/2015 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is a gorgeous wine of rich textures balanced by intense, focused fruit and dusty tannin. The nose showed depths of dark red fruit, spice and black earth. On the palate, it was intense and concentrated, yet perfectly balanced with crushed raspberry turning more to earth and minerals with a tannin heft, begging for at least of few years in the cellar before optimal enjoyment. The structure here was perfectly balanced to it's fruit intensity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/25/2015 - Rezy13 Likes this wine:
VinItaly Day 4 (Verona, Italy): 600m in elevation; bright rose with paler rim; really perfumed and sexy nose, everything seems nicely integrated; very soft and tasty.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment