Etna Rosso, Prephylloxera, 2020
Two prized parcels totalling 0.8HA within Calderara Sottana stand proudly having withstood the ravages of phylloxera, which arrived to Etna in 1881. Consequently, the vines are at least 140 years old, and on their original rootstocks. The 2020 is a lustrous red in colour with a bright ruby hue, so detailed and finely pitched on the nose, with a deep dark berried intensity on the palate accompanied by a wash of camphor, licorice, herbs and salt. Stylish, long, highly complex and serious, with enormous palate-staining length on the finish. A fascinating and highly distinctive wine that carries its unique character and rich mineral intensity with a kind of weightless intensity. Remarkable in every sense.
critic reviews
Remarkably pretty and expressive from the first tilt of the glass, this is unlike any young La Vigna di Don Peppino I've ever encountered. The 2020 Etna Rosso Calderara Sottana Prephylloxera emanates with an array of roses and lavender complemented by clove, allspice, incense and a core of bright cherry fruit. Pure elegance, simply stated, it washes across the palate like fine silk, youthfully dense yet energetic as well, with balsam-tinged red fruits and minerals. Spiced blood orange, plum and inner earth tones remain, along with a core of grippy tannins, yet through it all, a tinge of residual acidity maintains a lovely harmony. The 2020 is already so beautiful, yet still built for the cellar. I'd recommend checking in on a bottle upon release and watching the rest evolve over the next decade or more.
Don Peppino was a farmer who was born in a house on this property, and he worked in the vineyards for 70 years, since he was 10 years old. He died just over five years ago. This excellent wine is dedicated to him. The Tenuta delle Terre Nere 2020 Etna Rosso Calderara Sottana Prephylloxera le Vigne di Don Peppino shows extra freshness and crisp fruit definition. Indeed, fruit is sourced from the highest part of the Calderara site. This is a soft and silky expression with a seriously long-lasting and nuanced finish. The wine is firm in terms of mouthfeel, and the tannins fade away elegantly.