“Prephylloxera” Rosso Etna DOC 2023

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

19172623 · 0,75 l · 193,33 €/l · Price (DE) incl. VAT, excl. Shipping9 units available
Limitation of 4 articles per customer

In the silent eternity of Calderara Sottana, where time writes its own laws, lies a sanctuary: La Vigna di Don pep. Here, on barely 0.8 hectares of ancient volcanic soil, the vines have performed a miracle: they survived the great catastrophe of phylloxera, which struck the whole of Europe more than a century ago and destroyed millions of vineyards. These few rows of ungrafted Nerello Mascalese vines, which have been rooted in the stony soil of the elliptical terroir since 1880, are living witnesses to over 140 years of viticultural history. They stand there like aged princesses in a royal garden, their charming wrinkles telling of generations that have seen them come and go, while they themselves have remained steadfast. Don pep, the legendary farmer who dedicated 70 years of his life to these precious vines, recognised their extraordinary nature. He nurtured them with infinite devotion, day after day, year after year, as if he knew he was the guardian of a priceless heritage. His love and understanding for these ancient vines saved them from oblivion - and Marco de Grazia honoured this dedication by giving the vineyard his name.

The 2023 Prephylloxera unfolds a darkly seductive and youthfully closed personality. It smoulders up with a mix of sweet spices, dusty violets and ash that gives way to dried black cherries, sage and cloves. Velvety yet full of finesse, a polished wave of ripe red and blue fruit flows over a juicy stream of acidity. Hints of sour citrus fruit provide contrast at the end. Prephylloxera 2023 finishes remarkably fresh and energised, while crisp tannins linger and a hint of lavender slowly fades.

These rare vines, which have grown on their original rootstock and have never known the mediation of an American rootstock, give the wine an elegance and complexity that has become rare in the modern wine world. Their extremely low yields of only 4-5 tonnes per hectare make them hardly economically viable – but they are a sanctuary of flavour, a tribute to the past and a promise for the future. An elegant and truly harmonious masterpiece: the quintessence of Calderara and a silent ambassador of unrivalled refinement. SUPERIORE.DE

"This exquisite wine has an intense Mediterranean style with flavours of cherry jelly and strawberries complemented by liquorice, cola, earthy minerality and a hint of smoke. Very full-bodied and balanced, youthful and dense, yet well woven and refined." James Suckling

"The 2023 Etna Rosso Prephylloxera La Vigna di Don pepCalderara Sottana opens like a flower shop on the nose, intensely layered with a depth of black cherry and spice. The wine is more graceful than expected, with hints of sour citrus, tart forest fruits and mineral notes. The angular tannins pinch the cheeks as the 2023 lingers with blue and purple flowers and a bitter liquorice concentration that lingers indefinitely." Vinous