A lean-boned wine in sharp focus. The Nerello Mascalese hails from a young, terraced vineyard on the northeast slopes of Mt. Etna where soils are—of course—volcanic and spare. Ghiaia Nera means “black earth.”
The wine’s mantle is limpid red, very clear, reminiscent of a Gamay or young Burgundy, and its fresh pine- and pepper-scented fragrance is accented by a whiff of cinnamon. The body is tingly and linear but with firm tannins, while the fruit aims at tart cherry and strawberry without necessarily hitting the marks.
It needs food: cleansing with the savory and rich, complementary with the juicy and lean.
13% abv | $20 (sample) | Imported by Dalla Terra
