“Contrada Pianodario” Rosso Etna DOC 2019

Tasca d'Almerita | Cantina Tascante | Sicily
Conte Tasca d'Almerita Soc. Agr. a.r.l. | Via dei Fiori 13 | IT 90129 Palermo

19034419 · 0,75 l · 52,00 €/l · Price (DE) incl. VAT, excl. Shippingavailable immediately

Pianodario is a landscape comprising 99 terraces. Held in place by dry stone walls that have been built into the hillside over the centuries, the terrain slopes from south to north at a gradient of seven% – a typical Etna vineyard, in which every single terrace is a micro-terroir 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 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 up, well-ventilated and exposed to the cooling influence of the volcano – significantly slows down the ripening of the Nerello Mascalese. Harvest takes place correspondingly 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 Rossis: 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.

A pale ruby red. The bouquet is floral and delicate. On the palate, it is delicate and displays precise elegance; the tannins are subtle and soft; the mouthfeel is light yet persistent, with a long, complex final. The volcano at its most restrained. SUPERIORE.DE