PRACTICING ORGANIC
Nerello Mascalese & Cappuccio
This is a minimal intervention, 'everyday' red from the south side of Sicily's famous active volcano, Mt. Etna. It's no ordinary wine, though: it's a blend of several vintages, with wines aged for 6-7 years in large, 'neutral' barrels. The resulting wine blends herb-tinged, juicy red fruits (like cherry) with a touch of soft, slightly sweet nuttiness from long aging (reminiscent of roasted chestnut), and subtle hints of smoky struck flint. Medium-bodied but plenty vinous (14.5% abv), the volcano shows itself again in the fine cut of tannins, inner brightness, and saline minerality. This is an incredible value for those who look for old-world gems.
Everyone has heard of the wondrous southern Italian island of Sicily, with its rugged, exquisite black terrain housing Mt. Etna, the still quite active volcano. The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, all of the major wine publications (and the minor ones, too) have waxed poetic on the wild, raw beauty of this sunny island and their wines, with an emphasis lately on the indigenous grapes of Sicily: Nerello Mascalese - a sleek, graceful red (a grape reminiscent of Nebbiolo) and its huskier sibling Nerello Cappuccio.
The newly found fame of this viticultural area has given way for all the major players in the winebiz to settle here. In the background is Calabretta, a winery founded in 1900, who keep on making wine just as they have done for generations. The winery is run by Massimo Calabretta and his son Massimiliano, farming approximately seven hectares of 70-80-year-old vines, many ungrafted planted on steep terraces. The Calabrettas are traditional producers, crafting their wines in a similar manner to Barolo, by long aging in massive neutral barrels (known as botti), and releasing them after extended ageing in the cellar. This is a costly service to the winemaker, a practice that is rarely done these days. The result is beautiful, and we are thankful for their effort.
RARE WINE COMPANY - "Calabretta’s vineyards are located nearly a half mile above sea level in the black volcanic soils of Etna’s north slope, between Randazzo and Castiglione di Sicilia. There, Calabretta farms roughly seven hectares of mostly 70- to 80-year-old vines—many of them ungrafted—on stepped terraces supported by stone walls.
Since the winery’s founding in 1900, the Calabretta family has farmed and produced wines from Etna’s ancient indigenous varieties—including Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio—in the mountain’s unique noble vineyards.
Historically, the family had sold its wine in sfuso or in barrel to restaurants and to private customers, many of whom travelled long distances to pick up their wine. But in 1997, third- and fourth-generation father and son Massimo and Massimiliano Calabretta decided to bottle their best wine under their own label to ensure the winemaking traditions of their family and Etna would not be lost."
Nerello Mascalese & Cappuccio
This is a minimal intervention, 'everyday' red from the south side of Sicily's famous active volcano, Mt. Etna. It's no ordinary wine, though: it's a blend of several vintages, with wines aged for 6-7 years in large, 'neutral' barrels. The resulting wine blends herb-tinged, juicy red fruits (like cherry) with a touch of soft, slightly sweet nuttiness from long aging (reminiscent of roasted chestnut), and subtle hints of smoky struck flint. Medium-bodied but plenty vinous (14.5% abv), the volcano shows itself again in the fine cut of tannins, inner brightness, and saline minerality. This is an incredible value for those who look for old-world gems.
Everyone has heard of the wondrous southern Italian island of Sicily, with its rugged, exquisite black terrain housing Mt. Etna, the still quite active volcano. The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, all of the major wine publications (and the minor ones, too) have waxed poetic on the wild, raw beauty of this sunny island and their wines, with an emphasis lately on the indigenous grapes of Sicily: Nerello Mascalese - a sleek, graceful red (a grape reminiscent of Nebbiolo) and its huskier sibling Nerello Cappuccio.
The newly found fame of this viticultural area has given way for all the major players in the winebiz to settle here. In the background is Calabretta, a winery founded in 1900, who keep on making wine just as they have done for generations. The winery is run by Massimo Calabretta and his son Massimiliano, farming approximately seven hectares of 70-80-year-old vines, many ungrafted planted on steep terraces. The Calabrettas are traditional producers, crafting their wines in a similar manner to Barolo, by long aging in massive neutral barrels (known as botti), and releasing them after extended ageing in the cellar. This is a costly service to the winemaker, a practice that is rarely done these days. The result is beautiful, and we are thankful for their effort.
RARE WINE COMPANY - "Calabretta’s vineyards are located nearly a half mile above sea level in the black volcanic soils of Etna’s north slope, between Randazzo and Castiglione di Sicilia. There, Calabretta farms roughly seven hectares of mostly 70- to 80-year-old vines—many of them ungrafted—on stepped terraces supported by stone walls.
Since the winery’s founding in 1900, the Calabretta family has farmed and produced wines from Etna’s ancient indigenous varieties—including Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio—in the mountain’s unique noble vineyards.
Historically, the family had sold its wine in sfuso or in barrel to restaurants and to private customers, many of whom travelled long distances to pick up their wine. But in 1997, third- and fourth-generation father and son Massimo and Massimiliano Calabretta decided to bottle their best wine under their own label to ensure the winemaking traditions of their family and Etna would not be lost."
