Pietradolce - Vigna Barbagalli Etna Rosso 2015

Pietradolce - Vigna Barbagalli Etna Rosso 2015 (93 TSW)

During my trip to Sicilia en Primeur #sep19 from 6-10 May one of the highlights was the visit of the Pietradolce winery. The Faro family is in possession of one of the largest citrus farms on the island. They also had a few small plots of Nerello Mascalese vines. Winemaker Michele Faro remembered that his grandfather of the Nerello makes beautiful wines with delicate aromas. In 2005 he made the decision to devote himself entirely to viticulture and to make use of this age-old vineyard.

The company is located in Solicchiata, on the northern slopes of Mount Etna. The company has a total of around 30 hectares of vineyard, which lie at an altitude between 600 and 800 meters. The vineyards are composed of stony, light, sandy loam, with an abundance of minerals. Due to the many eruptions of Mount Etna over the centuries, the soil gives a very special feature, and also makes it completely unique.  Most planted varieties are Nerello Mascalese and Carricante.

Their extra unique selling point are the 100+ year old, so-called "pre-phylloxera" vines. This term is often used a bit easily for grafted, root-like vines, but in the case of Pietradolce it is true: these vines really stood well before phylloxera landed in Sicily in the 1930s.

My tasting notes:

This wine won the 3 glasses Gambero Rosso with a special mention of Red wine of the year 2016.
Aged 20 months in Tonneaux.

In the glass a pale ruby red color with garnet edges.
On the medium++ aromas of red cherries, dried berries and flowers with well integrated hints of tobacco, vanilla and firestone.
On the palate dry, medium+ bodied with medium+ acidity, grippy tannins. Concentrated, warm and round with ripe plums and raspberries, smoky, earthy and sweet spices. One of the most beautiful Etna wines I tasted