Fan of Nebbiolo and Pinot Noir? Then I have something perfect for you to try.
Thanks to the efforts of importer Marc De Grazia, wine lovers can now look forward to enjoying vino from the northern slopes of Mt. Etna in Sicily. His Tenuta delle Terre Nere estate is producing wonderfully perfumed and palate pleasing reds from the indigenous Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Capuccio varietals.
Planted in soil composed of mostly volcanic ash and rock with a sprinkle of black pumice, and at elevations as high or higher than any other red-grape vineyard in Europe, the vines experience dramatic temperature variations between night and day and are exposed to drying and cooling winds. These factors all help contribute to a collection of wines that are complex and rich, yet elegant and not overripe.
Marc not only recognized the potential of these nearly forgotten varietals and vineyards, ranging from 40 to 140 years old, but he had the vision to bottle the wines specific to their vineyards in separate crus. We currently have three of Tenuta delle Terre Nere's 2007s in stock. Each possesses common varietal profiles as well as equal scores from Antonio Galloni in Robert Parker's Wine Advocate. However the subtle differences of the terroirs are apparent and a true appreciator will have fun discovering them!
The '07 Calderara Sottana is the most elegant of the three showcasing red fruits with floral and mineral notes?considered the most Burgundian of the set.
The '07 Feudo di Mezzo has the most in common with a Barolo offering dark cherry, tar and menthol.
The '07 Santo Spirito lies somewhere in between the two above...slightly more floral than the Feudo and with darker fruits than Calderara?possibly the Barbarseco of the group.
All score an impressive 93 points from Galloni (except the Feudo which gets a 93+ most likely due to its extra power) and are priced at $34.95 bottle. I highly recommend ordering a mixed case of 4 btls each for $419. It's the perfect opportunity to compare and contrast one of Italy's last re-discovered gems.