Acclaim

Seductive from the first tilt of the class, the 2021 Etna Rosso slowly opens to reveal dried strawberries, lavender, incense and spice. This is luxuriously round and soothing, with ripe red and blue fruits that easily flow across the palate. The 2021 finishes long and potent but only lightly structured. Candid citrus and licorice notes slowly fade. It’s a lovely introduction to Etna and the Pietradolce house style.

Dark and brooding, the 2019 Etna Rosso Rampante slowly evolves with crushed ashen stone and savory grilled herbs offsetting dried black cherries. It’s silky and refined, with a polished wave of ripe red and black fruits carried by vibrant acidity. A sour citrus tinge adds a pleasant punctuation toward the close. While only lightly tannic, the 2019 finishes with a youthful tension. A coating of primary concentration and a bitter tinge of blackberry linger on and on. The power of Rampante is on full display here, yet patience will be required to appreciate it.

The 2019 Etna Rosso Santo Spirito is coy in the glass, smoldering up with a delicate blend of dusty earth, dried roses and strawberries. It flows across the palate, a model of purity, with mineral-tinged red fruits and pretty inner florals. This finishes lightly structured, with a slight bitter tinge and chalk tannins. The 2019 is an understated interpretation of Santo Spirito.

The 2018 Etna Rosso Barbagalli opens with a spice-box bouquet, blending dusty florals and cloves with dried orange peels, incense and currants. It’s surprisingly energetic and lifted on the palate, yet still complex. Zesty acidity enlivens tart wild berries and savory spices. A saturation of salty minerals collects toward the close. The 2018 finishes long yet inward, like a black hole of licorice, violets and plums framed by fine tannins that resonate along the perimeter of the palate. The Barbagalli is a total success for the vintage, one which fans of Pietradolce should not be without. The Barbagalli hails from pre-phylloxera bush vines that are between 80-100 years old, growing at 950 meters on the north side of Etna. This is a Barolo-lover’s Etna Rosso.

The 2021 Faro is dusty and darkly floral, with a bouquet of dried roses and black cherries complicated by a hint of shaved cedar. It’s soft and round with bright red fruits and mineral tones that add a crunchy sensation as a coating of fine tannins slowly take hold. The 2021 finishes with a chewy concentration, lightly structured, yet with a tart tinge of sour citrus that maintains freshness. While balanced for the cellar, there’s no harm in enjoying this energetic Faro already.

The 2021 Rosso Peloro is remarkably pretty, blending ripe strawberries with sweet rose and clove. This is round and juicy in character, with floral-tinged wild berry fruits and tactile mineral tones that add grip toward the close. Violet inner florals and tart raspberry notes linger as the 2021 finishes fresh yet with admirable length.

The 2021 Nero d’Avola wafts up with a mix of raspberry and plum, complemented by sweet smoke and florals. It flows across the palate, silky yet racy and full of energy, displaying tart red and blue fruits motivated by vibrant acidity. The 2021 finishes perfumed, leaving a twang of sour melon and soft candied lime that keep the mouth watering for more.

The 2022 Brut Rosè is remarkably pretty with its platinum rose color. Its bouquet offers freshly sliced nectarine, lemon oils and spice. This sizzles upon the palate, with a wave of crystalline bubbles excited by vibrant acidity giving way to mineral-tinged orchard fruit. The 2022 finishes crisply refreshing and long, with sour citrus, green apple and hazelnut notes resonating throughout. This is beautifully balanced at just four grams of residual sugar. Drinking window: 2023 – 2025

The 2022 Rosato Etna wafts up with a spicy and floral bouquet, mixing ginger with green apples. Soft and textural, this impresses with its balance of ripe orchard fruits and saline mineral tones, as tropical citrus adds tension toward the close. A salty flourish lingers on as the 2022 finishes crisply refreshing and pleasantly chewy. Drinking window: 2023 – 2024

Smoky and rocky on the nose, this wine offers juicy red and black fruit that turns almost candied red apple on the palate. Notes of coffee grinds and top soil are pointed up by the astringency of very tight tannins and razor-sharp acid. -Danielle Callegari