“Calderara Sottana Edizione Speciale” Rosso Etna DOC 2021 late release

Tenuta delle Terre Nere | Sicily
Az. Agr. Tenuta delle Terre Nere | Contrada Calderara | IT 95036 Randazzo

19172321 · 0,75 l · 85,33 €/l · Price (DE) incl. VAT, excl. Shippingavailable immediately
Limitation of 3 articles per customer

Between 60,000 and 15,000 years BC, Mount Etna eroded its old centre – the Ellittico eruptive complex collapsed in on itself. What remains are some of the oldest surface soils on the volcano that can still be cultivated. Subsequent lava flows buried the older layers beneath them; only small, rare plots of the Ellittico survived on the surface. On the northern side of Mount Etna, there are three contrade with pure Ellittico terroir: Bocca d’Orzo, Calderara and San Lorenzo. Three out of hundreds. Calderara – the name evokes warmth. The stones here, fist-sized and light, a mixture of black pumice and basalt, absorb the sun’s heat during the day and slowly release it back into the soil during the cold nights. Without this invisible thermal balance, the ripening process at an altitude of 600 to 650 metres would be quite different. Don pep, who tended these vineyards for seventy years, found the most precise word to describe the wines from this site: ‘cremosi’. It’s true – and it couldn’t be put any better.

100% Nerello Mascalese from vines between 50 and 100 years old. Marco de Grazia describes the Calderara as the most complete of his crus – like a wide-angle lens that captures the broadest panorama. Distinctly autumnal, spicy, aromatic and tart all at once. An indescribable richness on the palate – and yet always astonishingly ethereal. The 2021 vintage was released earlier and has long since sold out. However, De Grazia did not release all the bottles for sale at the time. Five years in his cellar – —not as a punishment, but as a gift to time. What the Nerello Mascalese from this vineyard develops with three further years of bottle ageing requires precisely this time to integrate the tannins, deepen the autumnal character and bring out the creaminess that Don pepalready knew. A strictly limited batch of the 2021 vintage is therefore only now – matured, complete and ready – and we are delighted to be able to offer you a small allocation of it.

A deep, luminous garnet red with hints of ruby. The bouquet offers notes of autumn leaves, dried rose, blackberry, camphor, spices and a volcanic mineral note that reveals the vineyard’s terroir. On the palate, it is exceptionally full-bodied yet light – creamy, as Don pepdescribed it – with long, well-integrated tannins and a final that seems to go on forever. SUPERIORE.DE

"The 2021 Etna Rosso Calderara Sottana Vineyard shines from the moment the glass is tipped: Gravel, ash and sweet smoke give way to vibrant black cherries and autumnal spices. The 2021 Etna Rosso is elegant, silky and deeply textured, with salty mineral notes and an abundance of red and black fruits perfectly held by a core of vibrant acidity. The wine is complex yet full of energy and sultry depth, finishing salty and structured, with grippy tannins framing a lingering finish of liquorice and plums. These old vines have coped well with the dryness of the vintage, which is only evident in the hardness of the tannins. Otherwise, the 2021 is pure magic." Vinous

"This wine is more vibrant with red berries, blood oranges, light spices and a hint of terracotta. Medium-bodied, juicy and fruit-driven with tangy acidity and dusty tannins. A hint of bitter orange on the finish. Long and chalky, but now very attractive and enjoyable." James Suckling

"Brilliant ruby red colour with a brighter rim. Delicately fragrant and dynamic on the nose, with lots of floral notes, reminiscent of lavender and violets, some mint, followed by ripe rosehips and cherries. Ripe fruit and plenty of spice on the palate, compact and structured, gripping acidity and rich tannins, long, juicy final." Falstaff

"It offers a deep, full aroma of pure red and black fruits with some violet, spice, balsam and cocoa overtones. Fleshy, succulent and sapid, this is an incredibly beautiful Nerello Mascalese, with purity of red fruits underlined by some spice and stoniness, a hint of salinity and a long, silky, creamy finish. So inviting." Decanter