Alta Mora Etna Rosso DOC 2020
It’s mid-January, the holiday cheer is gone, it’s cold and snowy, and we’re already jonesing for a vacation somewhere warm. So this week we hit the sunny island of Sicily for the Weekend Wine Down! Serenity chose a wine made from a lesser-known grape, Nerello Mascalese (“nair-rello mask-ah-lay-zay”). From the largest volcano in Europe, we have this 2020 Etna Rosso DOC from Alta Mora. At first glance, its deep ruby, almost brick color belies its vibrant intensity. It has floral and slightly spicy notes on the nose, and we tasted red berries, strawberries, and a bit of warming spice at the end. This rich Sicilian wine is dry, with medium acid, and lots of tannins. The volcanic soil gives this wine a flinty, slate minerality.
The slopes of Mt. Etna, an active volcano, have some of the most fertile soils in the world. Because there has never been major development, the soils are pristine and still untouched by chemical farming. This combination of factors makes organic farming easy there. Brothers, Diego and Alberto Cusumano along with their father Francesco, chose this location to create wines that express the quality and character of the unique land. They see Mt. Etna as a symbol of nature's ardor and an ancient and tenacious viniculture.
Designed with maximum respect for the grape and its integrity, the winery was built following the local tenets of underground architecture, affording considerable energy savings thanks to natural heat insulation along with their use of biomass energy. Alta Mora’s cellars are made with natural materials such as lava and opus signinum (an ancient Roman building material similar to concrete with the addition of small pieces of broken pot, tiles, or brick), the structure integrates seamlessly with the pristine natural surroundings. Cool in summer and mild in winter, the lava rock in the basement helps maintain and control temperature and humidity. With its shelter from the light, optimal conditions for all stages of winemaking are ensured.
With vineyards located at elevations ranging from 600-1,000 meters on the slopes of Mt. Etna’s active volcano, the Alta Mora winery and estate includes some of the highest-lying vines in the world today. The volcanic subsoils in the estate’s growing sites are ideal for creating wines with elegance, balance, and minerality. Land there is still largely undeveloped and pristine, an element that makes it easy to farm without the use of synthetic pesticides or herbicides. Since its founding, Alta Mora has embraced what is known as a “minimal intervention” winemaking style, thus allowing the terroir of the sites to shine through. And its “bio-architecture” cellar, sculpted out of ancient volcanic rock, keeps the wine cool naturally, thus reducing the winery’s carbon footprint. Alta Mora’s wines have recently been named some of Italy’s best by Monica Larner (Wine Advocate/Robert Parker).
Try Alta Mora’s Etna Rosso with lighter meats including poultry or pork with roasted tomato or red pepper, and spices like oregano, thyme, coriander and sage. Look for regional dishes from the hot and sunny Mediterranean island. The balanced tannins and fruitiness will pair well with things like eggplant and tomatoes, fish and pork, and flavorful cheeses - try it with one of our favorites, Valbreso sheep’s feta.