Winemaker Notes
Modern and precise, with notes of strawberry, red plum, mandarin orange zest and wild thyme. Medium-full body, soft tannins and a stunning finish. Magnificent even right away.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Pale to medium ruby-garnet hue. A very mineral nose with crushed stones, iron, some bitter oranges, wild herbs and savory berries. Huge tannins and high acidity on an austere palate with a full body and a mineral-driven finish. Lots of bones and tension here, but no heft. Drinkable now, but better in two years. A mineral and more Barolo-like Etna Rosso.
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Vinous
Dusty, floral and slightly spicy, the 2020 Etna Rosso Feudo di Mezzo entices from the first tilt of the glass. It floods the palate with textures of pure silk, complicated by tactile mineral tones and brisk acidity as crunchy red berry fruits cascade throughout. A tart cranberry crunchiness takes hold through the structured finale as violet inner florals slowly fade. This is a simply stunning rendition of Feudo di Mezzo. Bravo.
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Wine Enthusiast
A primarily sanguine, umami nose features aromas of soil, tar, underbrush and soy sauce, but undertones of tart fruit provide a spark. On the palate, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, along with fierce tannins and acid, help develop both the slightly metallic earthiness and the astringent fruit element into a layered tapestry.
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Decanter
Ripe plum and clafoutis aromas lead to good fruit concentration, initially austere but promising to open beautifully. Fresh floral notes blend with savoury complexity, showcasing dark fruit richness, finely textured with balanced tannins and freshness. A Cate Blanchett-like elegance, followed by a firm, substantial finish.
Extending across the variable volcanic soils of the slopes of Mt. Etna at some of the highest vineyard altitudes in all of Europe—up to 3,300 feet—Nerello Mascalese is one of Sicily’s most noble red varieties. It makes a beautifully aromatic, firm, cellar-worthy but pale-hued red often comparable to a fine Burgundy or Barbaresco. Somm Secret—Nerello Mascalese takes its name from the black color of its grapes, nerello, and the Mascali plain between Mt. Etna and the coast where it is believed to have originated.
A large, geographically and climatically diverse island, just off the toe of Italy, Sicily has long been recognized for its fortified Marsala wines. But it is also a wonderful source of diverse, high quality red and white wines. Steadily increasing in popularity over the past few decades, Italy’s fourth largest wine-producing region is finally receiving the accolades it deserves and shining in today's global market.
Though most think of the climate here as simply hot and dry, variations on this sun-drenched island range from cool Mediterranean along the coastlines to more extreme in its inland zones. Of particular note are the various microclimates of Europe's largest volcano, Mount Etna, where vineyards grow on drastically steep hillsides and varying aspects to the Ionian Sea. The more noteworthy red and white Sicilian wines that come from the volcanic soils of Mount Etna include Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio (reds) and Carricante (whites). All share a racy streak of minerality and, at their best, bear resemblance to their respective red and white Burgundies.
Nero d’Avola is the most widely planted red variety, and is great either as single varietal bottling or in blends with other indigenous varieties or even with international ones. For example, Nero d'Avola is blended with the lighter and floral, Frappato grape, to create the elegant, Cerasuolo di Vittoria, one of the more traditional and respected Sicilian wines of the island.
Grillo and Inzolia, the grapes of Marsala, are also used to produce aromatic, crisp dry Sicilian white. Pantelleria, a subtropical island belonging to the province of Sicily, specializes in Moscato di Pantelleria, made from the variety locally known as Zibibbo.