Tenuta delle Terre Nere is a benchmark Etna estate owned by the experienced wine afficionado Marco de Grazia. Its first commercial vintage was 2002, making it one of the region’s foremost pioneers. Starting off with one parcel of old goblet vines in the Vigneto Guardiola, Marco has now increased his holdings to numerous parcels including the Santo Spirito, Guardiola, San Lorenzo and Calderara vineyards. The principal variety grown on the estate is Nerello Mascalese, which is indigenous to the Etna. Its fabulous old bush vines, the majority of which are pre-Phylloxera, are planted on the rocky and sandy volcanic soils on the north face of Mount Etna at 800 to 900 metres above sea level. The wines are aged in barrels of varying sizes with a small proportion of new oak (rarely more than 20%) for 18 months. Unique, perfumed and spicy these are some of the region’s most complete and distinguished examples. Their floral aromas and lifted fruit coupled with gripping, structuring tannins means these are well balanced wines built to last. Authentic, pretty and ethereal yet offering firm backbones they are an intriguing yin-yang style of wine you won't forget in a hurry.