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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OCTOBER 2024
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
OCTOBER 2024
Tenuta Tascante Contrada Sciaranuova Etna DOC 2020
![]() Smoky and slightly reduced, this shows licorice, strawberries and cherries. The fruit character is brilliant on the palate with juicy acidity and firm yet ripe tannins, medium body and a good, tight finish. Drink now. 95
APRIL 2025
Tenuta Tascante Contrada Sciaranuova Etna DOC 2020
![]() From vineyards planted in 2008, the Tenuta Tascante 2020 Etna Rosso Contrada Sciaranuova (with 5,500 bottles created) has a ruby shine that seems more luminous in this vintage. The bouquet is subtle, but there is noteworthy complexity here with ashy mineral, pressed violet and cassis. There is also an interesting note of bitter almond that leans directly into a tight tannic backbone. This contrada based in Randazzo sits at 730 meters in elevation and enjoys both northern and southern exposures. The wine ages in 25-hectoliter Slavonian oak casks for 12 months with a small percentage of 300-liter tonneaux as well. 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
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. 94
APRIL 2025
Tenuta Tascante Contrada Rampante Etna DOC 2020
![]() From a celebrated vineyard site in Castiglione di Sicilia, the Tenuta Tascante 2020 Etna Rosso Contrada Rampante has a specific quality that starts off with wild cherry and then peels back to embrace crushed stone and fragrant rose. This wine offers firm depth and good length delivered with extra sharpness. This release of 5,500 bottles matures in large oak casks for 12 months. The vines in Contrada Rampante date back to 2000 and are perched at a cool and breezy 740 meters in elevation. The vineyards of Etna are all distinguished by different soil types that vary according to the date of the volcanic eruption (or layered eruptions) that created them. This site is located on a lava flow created 15,000 to 4,000 years ago. You can expect a certain amount of erosion and sand as a result of that long time frame. These soils contribute to the wine's focus, complexity and those salty flavors. 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
OCTOBER 2024
Tenuta Tascante Contrada Sciaranuova Etna DOC 2020
![]() Lovely perfumes of flowers and rose stems to subtle red fruits and oranges follow through to a medium to full body. Tight, focused fruit and tannins lead to a crisp finish. Drink now. |