Planeta Eruzione 1614 Nerello Mascalese 2020

This cuvée comes from the Sciaranuova vineyards, on the northern slope of Etna, in the Castiglione di Sicilia area. The vines are planted at high altitude, around 850 metres, in a volcanic landscape shaped by lava flows and the forests of the Etna park. The black, sandy soils, rich in minerals from the eruptions, give the Nerello Mascalese a distinctive, taut and luminous expression. The name Eruzione 1614 refers to one of the volcano’s longest historic eruptions, whose influence remains deeply embedded in this high-altitude Sicilian terroir.

The grapes are harvested by hand, destemmed and fermented in stainless-steel tanks, with maceration on the skins. The wine is then aged in large oak casks before bottle ageing.

This wine reveals notes of morello cherry, wild strawberry and pomegranate, lifted by floral hints of rose and violet. Accents of black pepper, Mediterranean herbs, smoke and volcanic stone extend this fine and complex bouquet. The palate combines a slender, silky texture with vibrant acidity; fine yet present tannins structure the fruit without weighing it down. The fresh, saline and slightly spicy finish precisely underlines the mineral character of Nerello Mascalese from the slopes of Etna.

Ah, Italy, what a beautiful hedonistic country, home of the Dolce Vita, but how hard it is to understand how its wine is organised! The key to understanding Italy's appellation system is to think of it as several small countries rather than a single uniform one, since each region has its own appellation system. Yet Italy can offer wine lovers a multitude of wines with varied and unique flavours and styles, as well as bottles full of surprise and creativity. Unfortunately it also produces a large quantity of soulless, characterless wines sold under their most useful and commercially renowned names: Pinot Grigio, Chianti, Valpolicella, Lambrusco, Prosecco and many others... But let us talk a little history: winegrowing in Italy goes back to the most distant antiquity and originated in Greece. The Etruscans are said to have introduced the vine, and Greek immigrants improved and changed the grape varieties, later calling the country "Oenotria": the land of wine. At the height of the Roman Empire, wine held an important place in daily life, and some regions already stood out for the excellence of their produce. The Romans also planted many vineyards across Europe, leaving an indelible mark of their conquests. Today Italy is the largest wine producer in the world, ahead of France. Italy is divided into three climatic zones. The northern mountains have a fairly harsh mountain climate. The plain in the "middle of the boot" has a continental climate with cold winters and hot, stormy summers. The "south of the boot" enjoys a Mediterranean climate with very hot, very dry summers, not forgetting the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. In short, Italy produces a great variety of wines thanks to its 200 different grape varieties, many of them native to its land. It is a country just as complex as its wines, and well worth exploring!