2022 Terre Nere Etna Rosso Calderara Sottana
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The Tenuta delle Terre Nere 2022 Etna Rosso Calderara Sottana is easy to identify in a blind tasting. That's because of the deft hand of its creator, vintner Marco de Grazia. I point specifically to the expert use of oak on the often fragile Nerello Mascalese grape from old vines and volcanic soils. This wine sees 16 months in French barrique and tonneaux, and although you taste the grain and the spice of the wood selected, you also get a clear view on the fruit. Blackcurrant, crushed rose and campfire ash rise from the bouquet. This site has less ash mixed into the soils and is positioned at 600 to 650 meters above sea level. This is a release of 10,000 bottles, and each is stamped with the words "Grande Terroir Ellittico," which refers to the elliptical shape of this magnificent wine region.
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Monica Larner, Wine Advocate
Eric Guido, Vinous
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The 2022 Etna Rosso Calderara Sottana is intense and spicy in the glass. Crushed ashen stones and grilled herbs give way to dried black cherries and spiced orange peels. Luxuriously smooth up front, this finds a lovely lift through a core of tantalizing acidity as saline minerals and the onset of grippy tannins firm up its ripe wild berry fruits. This tapers off with tremendous length and concentration, leaving a youthfully structured feel and a pleasantly tart sensation that lingers on and on. The 2022 mixes generosity with power in a beautifully balanced package that will promote over a decade of cellaring.
Aromatic intensity characterizes the 2022 Etna Rosso Calderara Sottana as crushed ashen stone and grilled herb aromas blow off to reveal spiced orange peels, dried black cherries and cloves. A captivating lift from vibrant acidity enlivens the wine's luxurious textures. Saline minerality enhances ripe wild berry fruits as grippy tannins build throughout. The finish is remarkably long and concentrated, displaying a youthful structure and a persistent, pleasantly tart edginess. This expertly blends generosity with power.
The purity and clarity here really speak to you, with red cherry, orange peel, citrus blossom and basalt. Hints of smoke and tar, too. The transparency is really something here. From eight vineyards with vines 60 years old or more, the best vines being over 100 years old. 12,000 bottles. Drink now.