On the slopes of Etna you can find a small vineyard, 10 hectares, called Pietradolce. The old vines, between 40 and 80 years old, grow in the black volcanic soil. They produce small yields but of high quality. The grape variety is nerello mascalese, typical for Etna. It gives red wines of light colour but with lots of tannins.
At Pietradolce they started making wines in 2005 so their history is not long. But in this short time they have produced some excellent results. The Archineri Etna Rosso DOC from Pietradolce is made from 100% nerello mascalese and has a lovely bouquet of dark berries, rosemary and juniper. In the mouth it has a good structure, a lot of tannins, and is very elegant. Archineri is without a doubt one of the best wines I have had in a long time. (And that’s quite a few!)
Pietradolce, Archineri, Etna Rosso Doc, 2010, www.pietradolce.it, price ca 22 euro.
