A very pretty, perfumed, young Etna rosso with plenty of fresh flowers, focus and finesse. Medium-bodied, it has fine tannins and a long, bright finish. Best ever? Drink now or hold.
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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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95
JANUARY 2025
Tenuta Tascante “Ghiaia Nera” Etna DOC 2022
![]() A very pretty, perfumed, young Etna rosso with plenty of fresh flowers, focus and finesse. Medium-bodied, it has fine tannins and a long, bright finish. Best ever? Drink now or hold. 94
JULY 2025
Tenuta Tascante Contrada Rampante Etna DOC 2021
![]() Very spicy and smoky, showing graphite, almost sulfur, as well as incense and red fruit. Medium- to full-bodied, austere yet balanced. The juicy palate is supple and crisp with velvety tannins and a long, dusty finish. Drinkable now but best from 2026. 94
OCTOBER 2025
Tenuta Tascante Contrada Sciaranuova Vigna Vecchia Etna DOC 2020
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93
NOVEMBER 2025
Tenuta Tascante Contrada Sciaranuova Etna Bianco DOC 2022
![]() The first vintage of this white from Contrada Sciaranuova brings ‘a different approach’ according to Alberto Tasca. Grapes from the seven-year-old vineyard are vinified in 25hl oak vessels, while he says that ‘Sciaranuova gives a little bit more body to the Carricante’. Smoky and rich in thiols and floral notes, the immediate oak imprint parts to reveal a very fresh, salty and exotic white boasting flavours of juicy mango, white peach and guava. There's some gentle phenolic grip, and the finish is full of zesty citrus peel. Delicious, if young, this has plenty of potential to improve with age. 93
OCTOBER 2024
Tenuta Tascante “Buonora” Etna DOC 2023
![]() This has a purity and focus with dried-apple and pear character as well as stone. Some flint undertones. Medium-bodied, it has tension and a solid core of fruit. Tight and precise. Lovely finish. Drink or hold. 95
JULY 2025
Tenuta Tascante Contrada Sciaranuova Etna DOC 2021
![]() A smoky, oaky style with a nose dominated by graphite minerality, stunning blood oranges and fresh flowers. Full-bodied, it’s velvety, almost silky, showing grace and balance. The savory finish is vibrant and fruity yet not without firm structure. Sustainable. Drink or hold. 94
FEBRUARY 2025
Tenuta Tascante Contrada Rampante Etna DOC 2019
![]() Mt. Etna rises to 11,000+ feet on the eastern side of Sicily. It is Europe’s largest active volcano and ringed by vineyards which are occasionally damaged by lava flows. Tenuta Tascante was established on Mt. Etna in 2007 by the Tasca d’Almerita family – Sicilian vintners for over 200 years. The 2019 Tascante Contrada Rampante is an elegant, appealing, and complex wine. While it shows the ripeness of the harvest and the sleek and subtle spiciness of oak, the unique style of the Nerello Mascalese grape shows clearly. Layers of delicate raspberry, red plum and cherry fruits are underlain by hints of dried roses, tea leaf and spice. The flavors are elegant and complex, with the delicate fruits enveloped by tea leaf, forest floor and subtle spice nuances. The beautiful, long finish highlights the inherent breadth and complexity of the wine. 93
APRIL 2025
Tenuta Tascante Contrada Pianodario Etna DOC 2020
![]() Tenuta Tascante does a great job with its single-contrada wines from Etna and succeeds at presenting the subtle differences in the character of each vineyard site. The 2020 Etna Rosso Contrada Pianodario (from Randazzo) comes from a relatively new parcel that was planted in 2010. The wine opens to a light garnet color and showcases aromas of blue flower, redcurrant and flinty stone or ash. It sees 12 months in Slavonian oak casks, and the luminous transparency of the fruit shines bright in this accessible vintage. Contrada Pianodario does not have the enhanced complexity or depth of Sciaranuova or Rampante, but I prefer this bottle for its elegant freshness and tightness. |
