Terra Costantino de Aetna Etna Rosso 2016
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Suckling
James -
Spectator
Wine
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Beautifully balanced, rustic and elegant – the versatility of this wine encapsulates the fervour that surrounds Etna’s boutique producers. Introduce yourself to Sicilian wine, and believe the hype. Fruit comes from the Terra Costantino estate’s carefully tended Certified Organic vineyard on the southeast slope of Mount Etna. Grapes are harvested by hand, and wine ages in stainless steel and large oak casks prior to bottling.
An ideal match with appetizers, pasta, and roasted meats.
Blend: 90% Nerello Mascalese, 10% Nerello Cappuccio
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Perfumed aromas of strawberries, flowers and cherries follow through to a medium to full body, firm and dusty tannins and a persistent, flavorful finish.
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Wine Spectator
A vibrant, medium-bodied red, with a ripe and pleasing plummy fruit note, well-meshed with supple tannins and aromatic details of tar-tinged mineral, dried rose and Earl Grey tea. Chewy finish. Drink now through 2028.
Other Vintages
2021-
Suckling
James -
Enthusiast
Wine
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Suckling
James -
Parker
Robert -
Spectator
Wine
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Suckling
James -
Parker
Robert
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Suckling
James -
Spectator
Wine -
Parker
Robert
From the Terra Costantino vineyards on Etna’s south-eastern slope at Contrada Blandano, situated in the Viagrande territory, we can see the sea and taste the windblown tang of salt. The great volcano that sits behind the property protects the vines from frosts brought by the northerly ‘Tramontana’ wind. The estate, comprised of a single ten-hectare plot sitting between 450 and 550 meters above sea level, lies in the heart of the Etna DOC zone.
Terra Costantino grows exclusively native Etna varieties: white-skinned Carricante and Catarratto grapes and red-skinned Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio. In full respect to territory and environment, all wines are certified organic.
Beyond the usual suspects, there are hundreds of red grape varieties grown throughout the world. Some are indigenous specialties capable of producing excellent single varietal wines, while others are better suited for use as blending grapes. Each has its own distinct viticultural characteristics, as well as aroma and flavor profiles, offering much to be discovered by the curious wine lover. In particular, Portugal and Italy are known for having a multitude of unique varieties but they can really be found in any region.
A large, geographically and climatically diverse island, just off the toe of Italy, Sicily has long been recognized for its fortified Marsala wines. But it is also a wonderful source of diverse, high quality red and white wines. Steadily increasing in popularity over the past few decades, Italy’s fourth largest wine-producing region is finally receiving the accolades it deserves and shining in today's global market.
Though most think of the climate here as simply hot and dry, variations on this sun-drenched island range from cool Mediterranean along the coastlines to more extreme in its inland zones. Of particular note are the various microclimates of Europe's largest volcano, Mount Etna, where vineyards grow on drastically steep hillsides and varying aspects to the Ionian Sea. The more noteworthy red and white Sicilian wines that come from the volcanic soils of Mount Etna include Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio (reds) and Carricante (whites). All share a racy streak of minerality and, at their best, bear resemblance to their respective red and white Burgundies.
Nero d’Avola is the most widely planted red variety, and is great either as single varietal bottling or in blends with other indigenous varieties or even with international ones. For example, Nero d'Avola is blended with the lighter and floral, Frappato grape, to create the elegant, Cerasuolo di Vittoria, one of the more traditional and respected Sicilian wines of the island.
Grillo and Inzolia, the grapes of Marsala, are also used to produce aromatic, crisp dry Sicilian white. Pantelleria, a subtropical island belonging to the province of Sicily, specializes in Moscato di Pantelleria, made from the variety locally known as Zibibbo.