Winemaker Notes
Pale ruby red. Delicate finish and incredibly balanced on the nose. There are evident hints of small red fruits, flowers, perfectly integrated with a minerality and evolution worthy of a great wine. In the mouth it is of great structure but surprisingly drinkable and elegant.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Aromas of flint, tobacco, tar and carob mingle with whiffs of dried rose, cherry marinated in spirits and camphor in this full-bodied red. The smooth, delicious palate delivers crushed raspberry, blackberry, grilled herb, cinnamon and sandalwood alongside polished tannins. With delicious fruit and weightless elegance, the alcohol content is barely noticeable.
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James Suckling
I love the intensity here with glazed cherries, dried rose petals and spice box. Full-bodied with ripe and succulent tannins and a fruit-driven finish. Drink now.
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Wine Spectator
Fragrant, with citrus peel acidity and aromatic notes of gingerbread spice and chopped rosemary, which accent the dried cranberry and cherry fruit flavors. Offers an expressive profile that's layered with grippy tannins, which firm the gutsy finish. Best from 2023.
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.