This is peachy and floral on the nose with notes of melon and mixed citrus emerging after a moment, before more decadent ripe fruit notes come out on a very round and rich palate with a saline edge.
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Sicily’s star is ascendant in the wine community, and it seems that when anyone looks at Sicily these days, their eyes are immediately drawn to the island’s most prominent topographic feature, the great volcano Mount Etna. Etna wines are almost as hot as the lava inside that peak, metaphorically speaking. Sicily has been well known as a major source of Italian wine forever, but until relatively recently it was viewed as a producer of bulk wines for export or cheap everyday wines. With the revolution in quality that has taken place on the island in the past decade, though, that reputation has been turned on its head, and Sicilian wines are being sought out by wine buyers and consumers—none more so than the wines of Etna.
The Tasca d'Almerita family, one of Sicily's oldest and most esteemed wine families, is now led by seventh generation Alberto Tasca. The family, who has been making wine across Sicily for over 200 years, is a leading producer of Etna wines at its Tenuta Tascante estate (the name is a portmanteau of Tasca and Etna). The estate was founded in 2007 with the purchase of two vineyards in the communes of Castiglione di Sicilia and Randazzo on the north face of the volcano. The northern exposure is a cool-climate area, due to the combination of elevation and less direct sun, which helps to retain acidity in the wines.
The Tasca family currently owns four parcels, located in the contrade of Pianodario and Sciaranova in Randazzo, and Rampante and Grasà in Castiglione. (A contrada is a small subdivision of a commune, based on various defining criteria such as elevation, cultural/historical significance, or the age of past lava flows.) The vineyards are mostly at elevations of 2,450 to 2,600 feet (750–800 meters) on the 11,000-foot mountain. All are certified as sustainable under SOStain, a Sicilian-based program that rates wineries and vineyards based on their impact on the environment, in conjunction with the Italian Ministry of the Environment’s VIVA indicators of sustainability.
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LOCATIONWINERY: Castiglione di Sicilia (Catania province), Sicily VINEYARD: Mount Etna, Sicily VIEW IN GOOGLE MAPS REGION DETAILS |
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91
AUGUST 2023
Tenuta Tascante “Buonora” Etna DOC 2022
![]() This is peachy and floral on the nose with notes of melon and mixed citrus emerging after a moment, before more decadent ripe fruit notes come out on a very round and rich palate with a saline edge. 92
OCTOBER 2020
Tenuta Tascante “Ghiaia Nera” Etna DOC 2017
![]() Floral and juicy, with typical nerello mascalese flavors of dark plum, cherry, dried thyme and lavender, Ghaia Nera offers a great entry point to Etna Rosso. 96
JANUARY 2020
Tenuta Tascante Contrada Rampante Etna DOC 2016
![]() Intense and linear, this vibrant red has intriguing aromas of wild red berry, violet, dark spice, crushed stone and eucalyptus. On the lithe, racy palate, polished tannins and lively acidity frame crunchy red cherry, strawberry compote, orange zest and licorice before a saline finish. Drink 2021–2028. 94
OCTOBER 2023
Tenuta Tascante Contrada Pianodario Etna DOC 2019
![]() Rose petals and hibiscus are followed by graphite and flint and then finally strawberries and cranberries on the nose that come out again on the palate, combining with more stony, metallic notes and vibrant acid. 94
OCTOBER 2021
Tenuta Tascante Contrada Sciaranuova Etna DOC 2017
![]() The Tenuta Tascante 2017 Etna Rosso Contrada Sciaranuova also comes from the Randazzo village, where the volcanic geology is quite complex, with new and ancient lava flows that crisscross and where viticulture transitions to important pistachio nut farming. This delicate wine opens to a mild ruby color and offers pretty notes of wild plum, dark cherry, tarry smoke and campfire ash. And yes, there is a distinctive touch of toasted nut or pistachio. The tannins are firm in this wine, revealing important staying power to the palate. Serve it with a cheese-and-honey platter with slices of fresh bread and savor those nutty notes. 94
AUGUST 2022
Tenuta Tascante Contrada Pianodario Etna DOC 2019
![]() A lovely nose of fresh red cherry, rose petal and grated nutmeg. Medium-to full-bodied with zesty acidity and silky tannins. Juicy. Well balanced and bright, with very good length and subtle concentration. Best after 2024. 93+
JUNE 2021
Tenuta Tascante Contrada Pianodario Etna DOC 2017
![]() The 2017 Contrada Pianodario Etna Rosso opens slowly, focused at first on wild herbs and hints of damp earth. It blossoms with swirling, as a dusty display of dried strawberries and rose hips fills the glass. It’s soft, even fleshy in feel, yet supported by brisk acids and ripe red and black fruits. A coating of fine tannin mounts toward the close, revealing the Pianodario’s youthful poise, all under an air of violet florals and a jolt of tart woodland berries. This is certainly the most structured of Tenuta Tascante’s single vineyards from 2017, but also the most likely to benefit from medium-term cellaring. 90
JUNE 2022
Tenuta Tascante Contrada Sciaranuova Etna DOC 2017
![]() DECANTER WORLD WINE AWARD 2022 SILVER MEDAL. Mineral profile on the nose, smoked berries and a hint of fresh strawberry with autumn leaves. Pretty juicy tannins. |