![]() In recent years, I have come to adore Etna Rosso as much as Nebbiolo, and coming from me - a Nebbiolo obsessive - there is no higher praise. They are violently aromatic, they are savory and earthy and frequently - no joke - ashy. Secondly, when Etna’s wines are on point, there is no mistaking them. “In wine, we often abuse the term ‘sense of place.’ But I strongly believe that Etna wines clearly have a sense of place.”īenanti has a valid point on two fronts: For one, most wines reveal nothing in terms of terroir, no matter what the marketing says. “You will taste things that will make you curious, and that will reinitiate your wonder with wine.”Īntonio Benanti - who, along with his twin brother Salvino, is co-owner of the iconic Benanti winery - pulled no punches when we kicked off our conversation on Etna Rosso. “Even in one place, you can taste something quite rustic, or something that is very elegant and refined,” he said. His book showcases not only the diversity of winemaking styles and terroir on the mountain, but it also chronicles the distinct signatures left on the wine by the dynamism of ash and lava which has spread across Etna’s slopes for eons. He has since founded the Etna Wine School and written the ultimate guide to the volcano’s wines, The New Wines of Mount Etna. Spencer moved to the slopes of Etna in 2012 to pursue his passion for these wines. “The joy of Etna’s wines shows in their variability,” he told me, detailing how a light-colored Etna Rosso can be powerful, while a darker one could have a different tenor entirely. I had asked him what newcomers to Etna Rosso should expect for their first taste. “Suspend any expectations,” advised author and Etna wine expert Benjamin North Spencer when I reached him via Zoom for this article. Antonio Benanti, Owner, Benanti Viticoltori “In wine, we often abuse the term ‘sense of place.’ But I strongly believe that Etna wines clearly have a sense of place.” The sum of this drama is at the forefront of Etna Rosso. And lastly: roots sunken into volcanic soil and ash from Europe’s most temperamental mountain. Second: a growing zone within sight of the Mediterranean Sea. ![]() Here, a unique equation of elements adds up to one of the world’s most dramatic wines. If you’ve heard this sort of thing before, but never felt it, it is time to check out the red wines of the Etna Rosso DOC in eastern Sicily. The smooth texture of chalky soil or the bountifulness of loam. Grapes can transmit the sharpness of a cool climate or the tawdriness of a heat wave. Our magnetism to wine often stems from a fascination with the elements.
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