Wine & Spirits - October 2020 - 76

YEAR'S BEST ETNA WINES
expanded his holdings to nearly five acres,
and this is the first release of some 3,000 bottles under the new label. A steeply terraced
site with deep volcanic ash soils anchoring
80-year-old vines, Moganazzi produced a
wine that feels more earthbound than some
of Terre Nere's more ethereal wines in the
warm, dry 2017 growing season. With dense
black-rock tannins and ripe and fleshy plum
and black raspberry flavors, this ought to
benefit from a year or two of cellaring before
pairing with braised lamb shanks. § Skurnik
Wines & Spirits, NY
278154

91 | I Custodi

$30

2017 Etna Rosso Pistus ^ This wine unfolds
with flavors of dried cherry and plum speckled with notes of crunchy wild herbs. Twenty
percent nerello cappuccio deepens the color
and the fruit tones, though the intense ripeness is indicative of 2017's heat- and droughtridden growing season. The wine reads a bit
like a rustic Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and is a
match for robust lamb and beef dishes. § PortoVino, Buffalo, NY
278161

91 | Donnafugata

$35

2017 Etna Rosso Sul Vulcano ^ This lively
nerello mascalese offers flavors of crunchy
red berries that mingle with notes of blood
orange and white smoke. Fine sandpapery
tannins give shape to the bright red fruit,

and the wine finishes with pleasant herbal
accents. § Folio Fine Wine Partners, Napa, CA
278587

91 | Eudes

91 | Tenuta di Fessina

$50

2014 Etna Rosso Il Musmeci Riserva ^ This
is impressive in its depth and concentration,
layering flavors of fresh and dried plum with
notes of dark chocolate, tobacco and anise.
Soft, leathery tannins and hints of mushroom speak to the wine's age. It's an intriguing view of developed nerello mascalese that
is best enjoyed in the next couple of years. §
Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL
278159

91 | Giovanni Rosso

$45

2016 Etna Rosso ^ This is the first vintage
of Etna Rosso for Barolo producer Davide
Rosso, who purchased a 12-acre plot of 30to 50-year-old vines high on Mt. Etna's north
slope in the summer of 2016. The wine feels
ripe and a bit rustic, its raspy tannins encasing flavors of dark plum, dried cherry and
rare steak. Bright acidity draws the flavors
together on the finish. § Vias Imports, NY
278588

91 | Palmento Costanzo

Looking
for
something
special?

$52

2017 Etna Rosso Milleottocentoquaranta ^
Culled from vines planted 100 to 130 years
ago, this is a densely concentrated Etna
Rosso. Dried herb notes and chewy tannins
accent the wine's dark flavors of black plum
and dried cherry, giving it a rustic profile. For
a hearty lamb stew. § Schatzi Wines, Milan, NY
278186

$25

2016 Etna Rosso Mofete (Best Buy) ^ Flavors
of red plum and summer strawberry mingle
with notes of smoke and tar in this savory,
spicy wine. Bright acidity buoys the flavors
and accentuates the wine's cool mineral core. §
Artisanal Cellars, White River Junction, VT

278585

91 | Tornatore
Go to wineandspiritsmagazine.com
for more than 10 years' worth of
scores, recommendations and more.

Wine&Spirits

$35

2017 Etna Rosso ^ This wine shows good lift
and freshness for the warm and dry 2017 vintage, with snappy red-berry flavors framed
by raspy tannins. The bright fruit tones take
on some dark tarry notes toward the finish. §
E. & J. Gallo Winery, Modesto, CA
278583

90 | Cusumano Winery

$30

90 | Donnafugata

$85

90 | Tenuta di Fessina

$25

90 | Tenuta di Fessina

$25

90 | Murgo

$17

90 | Tasca d'Almerita

$60

2017 Etna Rosso Alta Mora ^ Rose-petal
scents lead into flavors of macerated red
cherries and baked plum in this bold, assertive wine. It finishes on smoke and black
spice, notes that suggest pairing this with
something meaty and grilled. § Terlato Wines,
Lake Bluff, IL
278183
2016 Etna Rosso Fragore Contrada
Montelaguardia ^ This wine rested for 14
months in French oak barrels (second and
third use) that imparted notes of sweet resin,
caramel and dark chocolate to the red plum
and mixed berry flavors. Cellar it for a couple of years to allow those oak-driven flavors
to integrate with the vibrant fruit. § Folio Fine
Wine Partners, Napa, CA
278184
2017 Etna Rosso Erse ^ Erse harkens back to
the era when red and white grapes were interplanted in the vineyards: It includes a small
amount of minella and carricante, along
with eight percent nerello cappuccio. Juicy
and bright, its plum and mixed berry flavors
are guided by fine tannins, picking up some
dark, tarry notes to warm the finish. § Vineyard
Brands, Birmingham, AL
278185
2018 Etna Rosso Erse ^ The rainy 2018 growing season produced a lithe and fruity Erse,
with taut fruit-skin tannins that frame flavors
of black plum and raspberry. A hint of smoke
emerges on the finish. § Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL
278174
2018 Etna Rosso (Best Buy) ^ This is a light
take on Etna Rosso, with flavors of tart berries brightened by notes of orange peel and
buoyed by lively acidity. Serve it lightly
chilled, with savory appetizers. § Skurnik
Wines & Spirits, NY
276006
2016 Etna Rosso Tenuta Tascante Contrada Pianodario ^ This nerello mascalese
came from bush-trained vines planted in
2011 on steep slopes that reach up to 2,400
feet above sea level. It's the most high-toned
and floral of the new single-cru wines we
tasted this year from Tascante, radiating
scents of lavender and orange peel. The fresh
cherry and red currant flavors are focused
and lifted, the tannins refined and somewhat
delicate for an Etna Rosso. (W&S 4/20) § Dalla
Terra, Napa, CA ■
https://www.wineandspiritsmagazine.com/ https://www.wine.com/product/tornatore-etna-rosso-2017/525895
Wine & Spirits - October 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Wine & Spirits - October 2020
