“Santo Spirito” Rosso Etna DOC 2024

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

19172824 · 0,75 l · 60,00 €/l · Price (DE) incl. VAT, excl. Shippingavailable immediately
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On the northern border with Guardiola, where the barren, steep slopes of the higher ground give way to gentle terraces, lies one of the most beautiful spots on Mount Etna: Santo Spirito. Here, where the slopes gently descend towards the Alcantara Valley, a paradox of nature is revealed. Whilst neighbouring Guardiola struggles with barren, stony soils, Santo Spirito boasts lush vegetation – deep, rich volcanic ash that nourishes a luxuriant carpet of grass and vigorous vines that display their bountiful vigour.

Marc de Grazia recognised something special in this Contrada: a place of extraordinary beauty that produces wines of sensual allure. At an altitude of 700 to 850 metres, Nerello Mascalese vines aged between 60 and 100 years take root in almost pure volcanic ash – a terroir that yields wines of fleshy opulence and enveloping richness. Marc calls these wines "Sophisticated Lady", in reference to Duke Ellington's composition, for they embody that rare combination of sophistication and tenderness, generosity and vulnerability.

Santo Spirito unfolds a beguilingly sensual bouquet of dried cranberries and crushed raspberries, interwoven with floral notes and peach skin. On the palate, the full seductive power of this unique vineyard site is revealed: velvety tannins caress flavours of red liquorice, warm pastries and orange zest, whilst a delicate hint of almond crowns the elegant finish. Sixteen to eighteen months in large French oak barrels lend this exceptional cru the perfection that makes it one of Etna's most charismatic wines. A wine that combines pure sensuality with aristocratic elegance. SUPERIORE.DE

"The 2024 Etna Rosso Santo Spirito is delicate and understated, as a moody mix of crushed black cherries, dried wild herbs and cedar shavings evolves in the glass. Silken, pliant and seamless, it delivers ripe wild berry fruits across a core of saline minerality. This firms up through the finish with sweet tannins that frame the experience quite well." Vinous

"The Tenuta delle Terre Nere 2024 Etna Rosso Santo Spirito shows the richness and sensuality that Marco de Grazia associates with this site. "Dressed to kill," he calls it – the Ava Gardner of the wines – with generous curves, softness and a perception of sweetness from the fruit. The wine is structured in the mouth, and its youthful, chalky tannins will need time to integrate. Santo Spirito lies adjacent to Guardiola, yet the two sites are remarkably different. Its vineyards cross three bands of soil and elevation, with the middle section at approximately 750 meters divided by a stream. The lower plateau contains more organic material and produces broader, more rustic wines, while the higher, talcum-powder ash soils bring altitude-driven freshness. This wine blends fruit from the upper and lower sectors to balance freshness with structure; the estate's white vines occupy the highest part. Maturation lasts 16 to 18 months in French oak tonneaux and 20- to 30-hectoliter casks, with approximately 80% to 85% older wood and 15% to 20% new oak." Wine Advocate