Reds Under $50

wines

Very pretty purity of fruit here with strawberry, cherry and some lemon rind. Medium-bodied with integrated tannins that are showing edges now. Fresh, creamy texture at the end. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSAromas of red berries, crushed mint and violet meld with eucalyptus and smoke on the nose. On the elegant, youthfully austere palate, it shows taut, refined tannins offset by flavors of Marasca cherry, strawberry compote and star anise alongside bright acidity. It closes on an alluring spice note.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEA creamy, medium-bodied red, featuring firm, finely knit tannins enmeshed with flavors of dried cherry and Earl Grey tea. A streak of smoky mineral echoes on the fresh finish. Best from 2020 through 2029. 1,250 cases made, 500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSNo written review provided. | 91 W&SThe 2016 Etna Rosso features a rich and sweetly spiced bouquet of medicinal cherries, licorice and white smoke. It boasts silky textures that give way to fleshy balsamic-tinged red berries, as a wave of brisk acids creates a more tactile feel. This finishes long and lightly structured, with a lasting stain of blue and purple-tinged fruits pleasantly offset by a hint of sour citrus.Vinous Media | 90 VM

While understated and delicate in the glass, the 2021 Nero d’Avola Siccagno is impossible to ignore. Crushed blackberries, tangerine, lavender, chalk dust and sweet spice form its dazzling bouquet. It’s round, soft-textured, quite juicy in character and has depths of tart wild berry fruit. Sour citrus adds contrast and tension throughout. The 2021 finishes with staining length, leaving a lingering web of fine tannins and salted licorice. Just a baby today, I expect the 2021 to flesh out beautifully with a few years of cellaring.Vinous Media | 93+ VMA single-variety Nero d’Avola, Siccagno displays a dark ruby colour and opens up to deep aromas of crushed blackberries, chocolate-covered hazelnuts, leather, and a whiff of tar. The darkest wine in the range, firm acidity and slightly dusty tannins provide the backbone for layers of undergrowth-tinged black fruits, a lively progression with a medium to long finish lifted by anchovy-like salinity. Slightly more rustic than the Frappato-based wines, it will show best with some bottle ageing. Aged for 16 months in large oak casks.Decanter | 92 DEC