I remember, back sometime in the mid-1990s, driving from Piemonte to Tucsany with Marco  de Grazia, then the instigator, impresario and importer of the ‘Barolo Boys.’  Even with the taste of the last Barolo we had enjoyed together that morning still on our lips, Marco asserted that it was Mount Etna in Sicily, not Piemonte, that was going to be the place to be in the 21^st century, and he would prove it by pushing all his chips onto this very active volcano and developing a property that would eventually become Domaine delle Terre Nere.  Not that he was the only one interested in farming Etna, mind you, but he was the first to prove to the old timers on the mountain that truly fine wine could be produced from the patchwork of multi-oriented, wildly heterogenous vineyards that dotted the mountain.  The secret, he pointed out to all who would listen, was understanding the ‘contrade’ or unique vineyard parcels, some over 100 years old, that ranged in every direction and every altitude of this smoldering cinder.  He pointed out that where and how the lava has flowed over the centuries has created distinctly different layers of terroir and that the local Carricante and Nerello grapes would respond differently depending on where they were planted.  As Terre Nere soon thrived, so then did a new generation of those aforementioned old families like the Benantis and Gracis and, eventually, an onslaught of newcomers, all with a passion to brave the heroic (and potentially lethal) sort of viticultural effort required to grow grapes on a constantly erupting volcano.  The Benantis, though, had a pretty good head start.  With a history on the mountain going back to the 1880s, it was Giuseppe Benanti who first started bottling the grapes he farmed back in 1988 and, along with De Grazia and a handful of other families, created the quality paradigm for Etna Rosso and Bianco.  Run since 2012 by his two sons, quality has done nothing but improve over the past decades and theirs are among the most coveted wines on Etna.  With vineyards ranging in age from 20 to over 60 years at a variety of altitudes and exposures, they produce an Etna Bianco that is considered a benchmark for the DOC.  Made entirely of the Carricante grape, it’s a simply made wine that let’s the character of the mountain do the talking.  And it has plenty to say.  Richly hued, it’s a wine defined by its really charming apple-like fruit that might offer up a bit of tropicality too, salinity, and, always in any good Etna wine, its siphoned-through-lava minerality.  Medium weight- neither heavy nor light- it’s a simple wine with a serious side making it perfect for handling richer, spicier fish, seafood, pasta and poultry dishes while tasting great all on its own.  Simply and dangerously delicious! 

One of the newer families that planted their flag on Etna over the past decade is Gaja.  Wisely realizing that Etna was no place for beginners, the always careful Angelo decided, in 2017, to partner with Alberto Graci, another of the old timers who could show them the ropes.  The new entity was called ‘Idda,’ local dialect meaning ‘she,’ or how the farmers refer to the mountain herself, and, with the Graccis’ farming skills and the unparalleled winemaking savvy of the Gajas, the wines have been nothing short of sensational since their first release last year. The 2021, made entirely from the Nerello Mascalese grape, is a gorgeously transparent view into the soul of Mount Etna with its rich color, smoky overtones, its wild flora and savory, mineral notes on vivid display. With the finesse and suppleness of a fine Burgundy, it’s ripe, seamlessly smooth and incredibly long.  I’ve long been a fan of the singular, if rustic single vineyard expressions of Terre Nere, Benanti and Gracci, but here is a wine that shows just what is possible with the skill of artful blending added to the equation. While one might be tempted to drink this alongside a spicy Sicilian pasta, while I do think tomatoes and such are a good match, even better would be roast beef, wild mushrooms, porchetta or anything with enough richness to stand up to its considerable structure: Like a fine Burgundy maybe?  The parallels are undeniable.  A fine value- even with Gaja surcharge attached!   

Decanter: This 2021 Etna Rosso is ever-so-slightly smoky with a lovely ripe, fresh scent of plum, cherry and red hedgerow berries. It has a tart attack of wild red fruits, forming the spearhead of a vertical palate which remains bright and tangy yet with a deft softness and suppleness of plum, strawberry and black cherry. Balsamic, stony and mineral, it finishes with a breezy, herbal waft and palate-refreshing acidity which lingers for minutes. 94 points

Vinous: The 2021 Etna Rosso is spicy with a burst of savory herbs and flowery underbrush, complicating a core of dried black cherries. It flows across the palate like pure silk, polished and refined with mounting saline mineral tones contrasting its ripe wild berry fruits. The 2021 takes on a juicy quality through the finale, leaving gently grippy tannins to mingle with lavender and inner rose. This remarkably pretty Etan Rosso should drink beautifully with only minimal cellaring. 93 points