This Etna Rosso is refreshing and elegant with blueberry, raspberry, earth, wet stone, and hints of black licorice aromas. It’s all framed by refreshing acidity and an upfront but pleasantly grippy tannic structure.

Vinification: The grapes: 95 percent Nerello Mascalese and five percent Nerello Cappuccio — are from organically farmed vines, both young and old. Its fabulous old bush vines, the majority of which are pre-phylloxera, are planted on the rocky and sandy volcanic soils on the north face of Mount Etna at 800 to 900 meters above sea level. The wines are aged in barrels of varying sizes with a small proportion of new oak (rarely more than 20%) for 18 months. Oak is evident but doesn't dominate.

About the producer: Tenuta delle Terre Nere is a benchmark Etna estate owned by the experienced wine aficionado Marco de Grazia. Its first commercial vintage was in 2002, making it one of the region’s foremost pioneers. Starting with one parcel of old goblet vines in the Vigneto Guardiola, Marco has now increased his holdings to numerous parcels including the Santo Spirito, Guardiola, San Lorenzo, and Calderara vineyards. The principal variety grown on the estate is Nerello Mascalese, which is indigenous to the Etna.