Rosso, Etna DOP — 2021
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Introduction
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The Winery: IDDA is a joint venture between Angelo Gaja and Alberto Graci on Mount Etna that started in 2017. The Graci family is a prominent winemaker in the region. The vineyards are located on the southern slope of the volcano, with a wide range of altitudes, exposures, and soil types. Today, the winery owns 50 acres of vineyards at 2,000-2,600 feet above sea level, in the villages of Belpasso and Biancavilla.
The Wine: IDDA means “she” in the Sicilian dialect and is the term that, with affection and admiration, the local inhabitants use to define Mount Etna.
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Vineyard Profile
- Vineyards: Made from Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio from vineyards located in Biancavilla, on the south-west slope of the Etna Volcano, between 700-800 m a.s.l. (2296-2624 ft).
- Appellation: Etna DOP
- Location: Sicily
- Cultivation: Sustainable
- First Year of Production: 2017
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Vintage Report
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The winter had very mild temperatures that rarely fell below zero, accompanied by abundant rainfall in the first half and preceded a dry period that lasted until the flowering of the vines. A combined 100 mm of rain fell in April and May. The budding of the vines began early, from mid-March. The spring frost in early April severely damaged the buds, affecting future production in all areas of Etna. Thanks to the mild weather, secondary buds sprouted with much lower productivity. The summer was characterized by a total drought combined with hotter-than-average weather.
Temperatures rose significantly beginning in June, often reaching 40° C (104° F) and above by late July. The limited rainfall, especially in late September, provided relief for the vines and lowered the high temperatures. The frost in the spring, together with the prolonged drought and the rain just before the harvest, caused considerable stress to the vines. Work in the vineyard, such as thinning out the bunches was essential to achieve a harvest with grapes in perfect health. The grapes that we vinified had quite a high sugar content, and the stress that they endured reduced the acidity in the berries and increased the pH. This vintage brings us complex, Mediterranean wines that are lively and dynamic.
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Vinification
- Fermentation: Fermentation and maceration for around three weeks partially in oak and in concrete vats. Followed by 24 months of aging in oak and concrete.
- Aging: 24 months of aging in oak and concrete
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Technical Information
- Varietal Composition: Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio
- Alcohol: 14%
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Tasting Notes
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An intriguing nose with smoky volcanic ash, and hints of Mediterranean scrub, followed by myrtle, blackberry, mulberry, and wild juniper notes. In the mouth, the wine shows a nice freshness and minerality with wild fruit and slightly vegetal notes. The tannins evolve and become more elegant, especially when the wine has time to breathe.
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Images
Reviews
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Rosso, Etna DOP — 2021 – Decanter – 94 Points
“This 2020 is ever-so-slightly smoky with a lovely ripe, fresh scent of plum, cherry and red hedgerow berries. It has a tart attack of wild red fruits, forming the spearhead of a vertical palate which remains bright and tangy yet with a deft softness and suppleness of plum, strawberry and black cherry. Balsamic, stony and mineral, it finishes with a breezy, herbal waft and palate-refreshing acidity which lingers for minutes.”
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Rosso, Etna DOP — 2021 – Vinous – 93 Points
“The 2021 Etna Rosso is spicy with a burst of savory herbs and flowery underbrush, complicating a core of dried black cherries. It flows across the palate like pure silk, polished and refined with mounting saline mineral tones contrasting its ripe wild berry fruits. The 2021 takes on a juicy quality through the finale, leaving gently grippy tannins to mingle with lavender and inner rose. This remarkably pretty Etan Rosso should drink beautifully with only minimal cellaring.”