Calabretta Nerello Mascalese Vecchie Vigne 2015

With the fourth generation of winemakers, the Calabretta winery is today led by Massimiliano. The wines come from certified organic vineyards located along the north side of Mount Etna, at about 700 metres above sea level, in the heart of the most significant and renowned crus of Solicchiata and Passopisciaro. The vineyards of the Calabretta maison are a veritable treasure trove of the Etna vine heritage: it comes, in fact, from ungrafted vines of 80-100 years of age, if not older, that make up many of the bottles of this historic winery. Vecchie Vigne is a Nerello Mascales, the child, in fact, of these plants, that are so used to the harsh conditions of the volcano that they represent, almost in magical symbiosis, the most direct and sincere quintessence. Production, which is artisanal and very limited yields, meets the criteria of minimum intervention in the cellar too, where, after spontaneous fermentation and very useful malolactic, this wine of great verticality and hardness becomes extraordinarily elegant. Usually put on the market almost ten years after the harvest, the colour is a delicate ruby red which seduces the nose with ethereal hints of graphite and peat, blueberry, undergrowth and red spices, with inevitable touches of sulphur and flint, to then bloom into a palate of rare and austere elegance and very deep minerality. It’s powerful but not overflowing on the palate, decisive but very fine, straightforward in its salinity, allusive and cordial in its gentle tannin. Persistent like few others and long-lived like the greatest reds, it is sublime paired with spicy grilled meats, braised vegetables and seasoned and blue cheeses.