Tasca d’Almerita Tenuta Tascante Ghiaia Nera Etna Rosso 2018 75cl

Tasca d’Almerita Tenuta Tascante Ghiaia Nera Etna Rosso, Sicily, Italy

200 years ago, the Tasca d’Almerita famly set out to enhance native grape varieties and territories of the highest potential for wine-growing. They are now proud owners four estates on Sicily and its surrounding islands, each with their own distinct personality.

Tenuta Tascante, on the slopes of Mount Etna, was born in 2007. Nerello Mascalese and the volcanic soils of Etna are a match made in heaven. Vines mature without major health problems even in the wettest years, but the steep slopes and slow, late ripening still make for challenging, yet rewarding, work in the vineyard.

Ghiaia Nera is a blend of the different Nerello Mascalese vineyards that Tascante has on Mount Etna, and therefore best represents the house style when it comes to Etna Rosso. The wine is aged for 12 months in large, old, Slavonian oak caks, just to soften and harmonise the wine, and nurture some of the more savoury characters.

This beautiful expression of Nerello Mascalese has aromas and flavours of orange peel, fresh red cherry, dried flowers, and cedar, with pronounced yet fine tannin and acidity.

Pairs well with pork, tuna steak, fresh tomato, or a sausage and sage ravioli.