A lighter Etna red with citrus, pears and berries as well as floral character. Light- to medium-bodied, this has fine tannins and a crisp finish. Drink and enjoy.
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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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93
OCTOBER 2024
Tenuta Tascante Contrada Sciaranuova Vigna Vecchia Etna DOC 2020
![]() A lighter Etna red with citrus, pears and berries as well as floral character. Light- to medium-bodied, this has fine tannins and a crisp finish. Drink and enjoy. 92
MAY 2025
Tenuta Tascante Contrada Rampante Etna DOC 2021
![]() A savory mix of crushed rocks, ash, dusty earth and woodland berries introduces the brooding 2021 Etna Rosso Contrada Rampante. It sweeps across the palate with soft textures offset by a wiry framework of acidity and minerals. Rosy inner florals cascade throughout and a note of tart raspberry saturates. The 2021 finishes pleasantly long, leaving grippy tannins and hints of sour citrus to pinch at the cheeks. Patience is required. 93
MAY 2025
Tenuta Tascante Contrada Pianodario Etna DOC 2020
![]() The 2021 Etna Rosso Contrada Pianodario lifts from the glass with a mentholated freshness, mixing wild strawberries and herbs with pine shavings and chalk dust. It sweeps across the palate with ease, silken and serene, with cooling acidity and a tactile edge. A coating of grippy tannins, nuances of licorice and a touch of spice linger on as this finishes with lovely perfume. 92
APRIL 2025
Tenuta Tascante “Ghiaia Nera” Etna DOC 2022
![]() This is a large production of 85,000 bottles that sources its fruit from various plots planted in 2004 and 2007 at 600 meters in elevation on terraces made with volcanic rocks. The Tenuta Tascante 2022 Etna Rosso Ghiaia Nera offers focused fruit aromas of redcurrant and cranberry. The wine shows a dark ruby color and medium texture. Its informal personality would match a plate of home-cooked pasta or a wood-oven pizza. Aged in oak for 12 months, these results are charming and versatile. 93
APRIL 2025
Tenuta Tascante Contrada Sciaranuova Etna Bianco DOC 2022
![]() This is a new submission from Tenuta Tascante. The 2022 Etna Bianco Contrada Sciaranuova reveals a tonic and fresh personality with a citrusy note that follows in step with bitter almond, crushed stone and dried ginger. These vineyards were planted in 2017 at 730 meters in elevation with northern and southern exposures on volcanic soils. The wine is fermented in Slavonian casks (with no malolactic fermentation) and aged in oak for 12 months. 91
MAY 2025
Tenuta Tascante “Ghiaia Nera” Etna DOC 2022
![]() The 2022 Etna Rosso Ghiaia Nera is darkly floral and surprisingly rich. Autumnal spices and dusty rose complement cherry sauce and hints of mint on the nose. Cool and round, yet juicy to the core, it sweeps across the palate with ripe red and blue fruits as an air of lavender forms. This maintains energy even as it tapers off staining and gently tannic, leaving a resonance of licorice to fade slowly. 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
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. |