Produce of 100% Frappato grown in black soils with pebbles in the DOC of Vittoria Il Frappato in eastern Sicily; fiery translucent ruby in color with ultra‑distinctive aromas that conjure suggestion of a panoply of wild berries including mirto (Valle dell'Acate themselves note hints of red fruits, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries, plus violet flowers and sage) along with a hint of the vineyard floor itself; then crisp and lean on the tongue with a fully mouthwatering vivid berryish acidity, leaving the palate quite refreshed and ready for more. Molto delicioso.

Etna Rosso is, for us, a most wonderful if somewhat recent discovery of some, um, magmatude. And Tenuta delle Terre Nere have emerged a favorite producer of the wine among our discerning clientèle. This Etna Rosso, their opening salvo among a number of delicious bottlings, is produced from a preponderance of Nerello Mascalese along with a dash of Nerello Cappuccio fruit from the young vines of the estate cropped at low yields of around 35 hectolitres per hectare and growing on the hillsides of the famous volcano on the eastern edge of the island of Sicily. Absolutely gorgeous translucent deep ruby in color with a certain vinosità what with almost almost fermentive aromas of crushed ripe berries, grape pomace, rose petals and stone; deceptively supple on entry, then building in body with a steady crescendo of substantial ripe tannins, power and volcanic warmth on the tongue. While there has been a good deal of comparison of Etna Rosso to Burgundian Pinot Noir, the aromatic profile is really quite different and the silken-textured opening quickly gives way, builds into somewhat more of a southern powerhouse on the tongue, with fine‑grained tannins seemingly carrying bursting flavors right on up that hill, potent and long to the finish. Maybe a comparison to a mythical marriage of Chambolle‑Musigny and Châteauneuf‑du‑Pape would be more apt but, then again, no. Etna Rosso is sui generis. One might say it enters on silken slippers, all carefree, island-hopping light on its feet, but goes out with a firm and forceful resolve, as one might reasonably expect of a wine whose vines' dance partner is the stuff of an active volcano.

Produce of 100% Nerello Mascalese from 3 biodiverse vineyard sites on the north side of Mount Etna (Piano Dario, Rampante and Sciaranuova) at elevations of from 760 to 790 meters. Surrounded by chestnut trees and downy oak, these terraced volcanic vineyard sites with shallow soils of seabed sediment and stones (ghiai nera translates to black gravel) and a high concentration of organic matter yield supremely balanced wines that embody the freshness and restrained power for which Etna is known; translucent ruby fading to a tawnyish fuchsia at the edges in color with aromas suggestive of dried cherry, smoke and earth; silken on entry then building in ashen stone tannins that carry bursting intensely stony/berryish flavors long on the finish.

The 2023 Etna Rosso Pietradolce is a dark and brooding effort with a whiff of flowery underbrush and ashen stone giving way to crushed black cherry. Silky smooth, it sweeps across the palate with ripe wild berry fruit and a collage of sweet spice, all guided by juicy acidity. The 2023 leaves a saturation of primary concentration and a tinge of tart blackberry while finishing with tension. This is far from an easy-drinking, simple Rosso. It should excel through medium-term cellaring. Drink 2026‑2030. Rated 92. Eric Guido, vinous.com May, 2025