Terre Nere Mt Etna 2018 & 2019

Tenuta Delle Terre Nere make genuine single vineyard wines with each Cru having a unique site varying not only in altitude but also in soil composits - some being rich in deep volcanic ash or conversely planted amongst fist sized pumice. All of the Crus are located on the northern slopes of the volcano, in the townships of Castiglione di Sicilia and Randazzo between 600 and 1000 metres above sea level in the “belt” that extends from the village of Solicchiata to the town of Randazzo, the area traditionally recognized as the very finest of the entire appellation for the local red grape varieties Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio.

The Red wines of Tenuta Terre Nere from vintage 2018 are varietally pure, linear and perfectly correct, with a pronounced acidity, and the long-lived characteristics that define the finer vintages on Etna. In general, the wines have a lower alcohol content and a higher acidity than the average of the last few years. The color is very vivid, due to low pH levels, the nose is fragrant and delicate; structurally they are rather elegant wines with great balance and minerality.

"A Barolo lover such as Marc de Grazia couldn’t fail to grasp the immense potential of Etna relative to the possibility of bottling many different cru wines. Thanks to volcanic eruptions that occurred over the centuries and created lava stratifications of different ages and compositions, Etna can give terroir-driven wines that are truly unique depending on exactly where the grapes are grown. De Grazia has incessantly promoted the differences and characteristics of each contrada (Etna’s cru areas) he farms. And though there are many who would much rather have preferred to turn Etna into one large catch-all denomination, De Grazia deserves immense praise for having fought this, realizing that Etna and its producers were sitting on a gold mine that just needed to be accessed correctly. His red wines now rank among Italy’s best"
— Ian D'Agata, December 2016, Vinous.com

"Terre Nere's wines "all possess unbelievable freshness and complexity as well as huge perfumes that suggest Pinot Noir…These wines are astonishingly complex and ethereal efforts from the hillsides of Mt. Etna in Sicily.”
— RobertParker.com