Nerello

Buried in the volcanic sandy soils of Passopisciaro lies a story that runs deeper than the roots of the centuries-old Nerello vines. À Rina – "sand" in the Sicilian dialect – bears not only the name of this unique soil, but also the longing of a son who wished to honour his father's memory. When Giuseppe Russo founded the winery in 2005 and dedicated it to Girolamo, he did so with the painful realisation: "My father was not fortunate enough to witness this transformation and see his name on a wine." What followed was no ordinary wine story, but the metamorphosis of a pianist into a poet of the volcano. Giuseppe, who once studied Liters, returned to the vineyards of his childhood – not out of a sense of duty, but from a deep realisation: These ancient Alberello vines, growing at altitudes between 650 and 780 metres, carry the memory of his family. Here, where black lava scoria and sand compose a symphony of minerality, he understood his true calling.

Until 2012, this wine bore the name of the estate itself – passopisciaro. However, when Andrea Franchetti began to vinify his best individual vineyards separately in 2008, he renamed the basic Etna Rosso: Passorosso. A blend from different altitudes and contrade – from Malpasso to Guardiola and Santo Spirito –which shows the full range of what Nerello Mascalese can achieve on Mount Etna. The higher vineyards lie on coarse-grained lava gravel, the lower ones on finer, oxidised lava powder: each layer contributes to the complexity of this wine. 80 to 110-year-old vines, fermented in steel tanks, matured for 18 months in large neutral wooden barrels and concrete tanks, bottled unfiltered.

The organically grown Etna Rosso Reseca is made from 100% Nerello Mascalese from a 1.5 hectare vineyard located at 800 metres above sea level on the blackened cone of the volcano. The wine offers both power and grace, the two contrasting qualities that characterise the great wines of Etna.

Grenache is an unusual sight on Mount Etna. Yet on the volcano's southern slope – the hottest and driest part of the entire mountain – this Mediterranean grape variety finds conditions that it would lack on the cooler northern flank. Idda, the joint project of Gaia Gaja and Alberto Graci, makes the most of this unique feature for its Rosato: Nerello Mascalese and Grenache are fermented together, supplemented by a small proportion of Carricante, the estate's flagship white variety. This co-fermentation – red and white grapes together in the tank – is a deliberate stylistic choice. It gives the Rosato the freshness of the white variety and the structure of the reds, without either component dominating. The vines grow on dark, mineral-rich volcanic soils, in an area that Idda has described since its foundation as the "controversial side" of Mount Etna – away from the better-known vineyards.

The Nerello Cappuccio from the south-western slopes of Mount Etna is a rare blend of finesse and character, and a noble remnant of the ancient volcanic culture. The grapes ripen at an altitude of 900 metres in Contrada Cavaliere, where sandy-volcanic soils, a high proportion of coarse gravel and excellent light penetration characterise the terroir. The vines are around 30 years old, trained strictly in the Albarello system, and yield concentrated harvestthat fully express their terroir. Winemaking follows a purist approach: selective hand-harvesting in October, complete destemming, controlled fermentation with the wine's own yeasts, and a maceration period of around two weeks. The wine is aged for around 12 months exclusively in stainless steel, after which it rests in the bottle until release.

The estate describes it as a new "amphitheatre of wine", shaped by centuries of volcanic eruptions. At an altitude of 700 metres, facing north-east, there are bush vines of the Nerello Mascalese variety, averaging around seventy years old; many were planted before the phylloxera epidemic and remain on their own roots to this day. The soil varies between sand, ash and scree on lava flows, with extreme temperature fluctuations between day and night. The name Animardente derives from the volcano's interior, from its ceaseless activity, and from the embers and colour of the magma. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel at a controlled temperature, followed by ageing in large oak casks, and the wine is only released for sale after a long period of maturation.

In the upper areas of the historic Contrada Rovittello – at an altitude of around 700 metres, on volcanic rock with a high basalt content – the old Nerello Mascalese vines of Il Musmeci take root. Some of them are even over 100 years old, their roots penetrating deep into the barren, mineral-rich soil. The north-eastern flank of Mount Etna provides a cool microclimate with a strong contrast between day and night – decisive for the aromatic precision. The name Il Musmeci is a tribute to the former owner of the parcel, Cav. Santi Musmeci, whose respect for terroir and tradition became the legacy of this wine.

The estate has dedicated its single-vineyard wine made from Nerello Mascalese to the Musmeci family, particularly Ignazio Musmeci, who tended the vines at Rovittello for many years. Silvia Maestrelli, who sadly passed away far too young, founded Tenuta di Fessina in 2007, building her business around an old vineyard of this variety, which she acquired after lengthy negotiations with the previous owners. The suffix in the name takes us even further back, to the time before the phylloxera plague that once ravaged Europe's vineyards. Vines from that era are grown on their own roots, without the American rootstock onto which vines have been grafted almost everywhere since then, and are regarded as a mark of quality – and not just on Mount Etna.

L'amore mio – my love. Rarely does a wine carry its character so openly in its name. This rosé spumante is Benanti's declaration of love for the Nerello Mascalese – the noble red grape variety that is otherwise synonymous with elegant red wines with a Burgundian grace on Etna. As Metodo Classico, it reveals a completely different, no less enchanting side. The grapes come from the south and south-east slopes of the volcano, where the vines are rooted between 700 and 750 metres in mineral-rich volcanic sands. Hand-picked, whole bunch pressing without destemming, fermentation at 16–18 °C in stainless steel. The base wine rests on the fine lees until late spring, followed by bottle fermentation with selected yeasts. After 24 months on the lees, disgorgement and dosage take place; a further three months of rest complete the maturation.

Feudo di Mezzo is one of the most prestigious contrade on the northern slope of Mount Etna, a place where viticulture and volcanic rock have had a symbiotic relationship for centuries. At an altitude of around 600 metres, old Nerello Mascalese vines take root here in porous, ferrous ash, interspersed with lava boulders and basalt veins – a soil that gives the wine finesse, tension and depth. Alta Mora is Cusumano's ambitious project on Etna, and Feudo di Mezzo epitomises this vision: single-varietal, rigorously selected, with maximum focus on origin and character. The 2019 vintage on Mount Etna was characterised by elegance: a cool spring followed by a long, dry summer with cool nights. The grapes ripened slowly and harmoniously, with fine phenolic ripeness and a balanced acidity structure. After manual harvesting, fermentation took place with gentle maceration, followed by 12 months of maturation in French tonneaux and a long period of rest in the bottle.

Guardiola is a name of some standing on Mount Etna. One of Sicily's highest and steepest cru sites, situated between 800 and 1,000 metres above sea level, exposed to the harsh sun, cool winds and the contrasts of a volcanic climate – a combination that shapes not only the landscape but also the character of the wine. The vines – predominantly Nerello Mascalese – are deeply rooted in lava rock and volcanic ash; the soil is poor, black and mineral-rich, a barren terroir that does not pit power against elegance, but rather unites them. The vintage brought ideal conditions for a wine with a firm yet approachable structure: following a cool spring, the grapes ripened under consistently warm summer sun, accompanied by marked day-night temperature variations. The harvest took place late, by hand, in small crates – a crucial moment for precision and balance. Following spontaneous fermentation, the wine was matured in French oak barrels – not to dominate the wine, but to give it definition.

Pianodario is a landscape comprising 99 terraces. Held in place by dry stone walls that have become integrated into the hillside over the centuries, the land slopes from south to north at a gradient of seven% – a typical Etna vineyard, in which every single terrace is a microterroir in its own right. The soil tells an even older story: volcanic formations dating from between 4,000 and 15,000 years ago, beneath which far older layers, estimated to be between 30,000 and 40,000 years old, are thought to lie. Geological time, compressed into just a few metres of earth. The vines were only planted in 2010, at an altitude of 775 metres, facing north-east to south-west, trained using the espalier and gobelet systems. The site – high-altitude, well-ventilated and exposed to the cooling influence of the volcano – significantly slows the ripening of the Nerello Mascalese. Harvesting consequently begins late, often not until the first few days of November. Traditional red wine fermentation at 25 to 30°C, followed by complete malolactic fermentation; then comes the decisive stylistic difference from other Etna Reds: ageing in large 25-hectolitre Slavonian oak casks, rather than in small French barriques. The wood remains neutral, taking a back seat and allowing the fruit and terroir to take centre stage.

The Pianodario vineyard is situated at an average altitude of 775 metres above sea level, between the hamlet of Montelaguardia and Randazzo. It comprises approximately 8 hectares of vineyards. The soils are of volcanic origin and date back up to 40,000 years.

Tasca became involved with Mount Etna at an early stage, and the latest result of this long-standing experience is four new single-vineyard wines from the Tascante estate: Contrada Rampante, Pianodario, Sciaranuova and Sciaranuova Vigna Vecchia (V.V.). The wines are delicate and brooding, and despite their power, acidity and firm tannins, they are very elegant, full of finesse and light on the palate. Each of the four plots lends the wine a slightly different style and character – determined by the altitude, soil composition and morphology of the historic lava flows. High annual rainfall ensures the soil has ample water reserves, and the temperature fluctuations between day and night enhance the diversity of the grapes' aromas and, ultimately, their ageing potential.

Tasca got involved in Etna early on and the latest result of these years of experience are four new single vineyard wines from the Tascante estate: Contrada Rampante, Pianodario, Sciaranuova and Sciaranuova Vigna Vecchia (V.V.). The wines are delicate and profound, and despite their power, acidity and taut tannin, very elegant, finesse-rich and light-footed on the palate. Each of the four plots brings a slightly different style and personality to the wine - due to the altitude, soil composition and morphology of the historic lava flows. A high annual rainfall ensures that the soil has all the water it needs, and the temperature fluctuations between day and night support the aromatic diversity of the grapes and ultimately the ripening potential.

In September 1911, lava from an eruption that formed the north-eastern crater of Mount Etna covered part of the old vineyards at Dafara Galluzzo. When Giuseppe Benanti founded his winery in 1988, the vineyards were located in Castiglione di Sicilia and Milo. Rovittello is part of Castiglione, and it is there that Dafara Galluzzo lies at an altitude of 750 metres on the northern slope of Mount Etna. The Nerello Mascalese vines grow as low bushes on small terraces, supported by dry stone walls made of lava rock, in sandy, mineral-rich volcanic soil, in a humid climate with significant temperature variations. Amongst the predominantly young vines are a few that are over a hundred years old and ungrafted. The grapes are harvested by hand at the end of October. The destemmed berries remain on the mash in stainless steel for around 21 days, with fermentation carried out by yeast from the vineyard itself. The wine is then aged for twelve months in used French tonneaux, followed by ageing in stainless steel tanks, and around ten months of bottle ageing.

Animanaturale from vines over 60 years old is the lightest and freshest wine from the new Animaetna line of the small garage winery Contrada Santa Spirito, which belongs to Feudo Maccari. Matured almost entirely in amphorae, the Nerello Mascalese grape presents itself here in all its fruitiness and freshness, completely unadulterated and pure. The grapes are foot-pressed, spontaneous fermentation is carried out using the grapes' own yeasts, racking and bottling take place according to the phases of the moon. On the palate, the flavours of red fruits and berries are tangy and vibrant with a precise and very mineral finish. SUPERIORE.DE