Etna Rosso, Dagala di Bocca d'Orzo, 2022
Only 800 bottles of this remarkable Cru are made each year. A lava flow from the eruption of 1981 completely buried this entire vineyard save for a little island of vines - where this wine comes from. Terre Nere bought this "island" or "Dagala" from 4 brothers in 2017 and their first bottling was 2019. Super expressive and generous, beautifully wild ripe red fruit, rose hip with the warming glow of sweet spices and a touch of red fruit liqueur. This has all of the effortless expression and power of true Grand Crus; flavours that are opulent but beautifully extended accross the palate, and a finish that is expansive and complex. Situated. 800 metres above sea level.Vine age ranges from 70-80 years old and the wine was aged in barrique and tonneaux for 14 months.
critic reviews
This is a very special wine from Tenuta delle Terre Nere (with just 1,800 bottles created). The 2022 Etna Rosso Dagala di Bocca dOrzo is 100% Nerello Mascalese from a contrada farmed exclusively by vintner Marco de Grazie. Indeed, a sticker with the word "Monopole" is affixed to the neck of the bottle. A "dagala" is a little hill of land that is surrounded, but untouched, by lava flows. This vineyard measures 0.75 hectares at 800 meters in elevation on the north side of Etna with poor soil fertility. This elegant wine offers a mid-weight texture with bright aromas of blackcurrant, pressed rose and spice (thanks to 16 months in oak). I love the intensity and the sheer depth of this wine that closes with a hint of spicy white peppercorn. There is so much lift and energy in this beautiful bottle.
The 2022 Etna Rosso Dagala di Bocca d'Orzo elicits an official "wow" from the first tilt of the glass, smoldering up with a blend of plum sauce, grilled herbs, violet-laced blackberries and hints of dark chocolate. This is nearly velvety in feel, with a burst of sweet spice up front complementing a core of ripe wild berries as candied citrus tones resonate toward the close. It tapers off with a tactile coating of minerals and silky tannins, creating a perfect framework for this genuinely mesmerizing experience. The 2022 Dagala di Bocca d'Orzo is a total seductress.