Etna, Sicily: Tenute delle Terre Nere
Website: https://www.tenutaterrenere.com/en/home-english/
Marco de Grazia’s Terre Nere is one of the star producers in Etna. All the grapes are sorted in the vineyard, and then they destem, crush and press the whites. For the five whites, two are matured in stainless steel while the others are matured in second-use barrels. The reds are divided into the entry level wine, and then premier crus, and finally grand crus. They have around 45 hectares of vines all on the northern slopes of Etna, across 9 different contrada. First vintage here was 2002.
Tenute delle Terre Nere Etna Bianco Caldera Sottana 2021
Lively and fresh with pure mineral characters under juicy, fine pear and citrus fruit. Juicy and linear with great concentration and focus. Lively, fresh and fine. 93/100
Tenute delle Terre Nere Etna Rosso 2021
Lovely aromatics of red cherries, almonds and redcurrants. Floral and expressive. The palate is supple and refined with fine-grained structure and juicy, elegant red fruits. So stylish and supple. 94/100
Tenute delle Terre Nere Morganazzi Etna Rosso 2021
A premier cru with a top soil of volcanic ash, and then rocks and pebbles under it. Beautifully textured and elegant with fine red cherries and plums, with lovely structure and silky red cherry and plum fruits. Such finesse here: pure, with a slight hint of almond. 95/100
Tenute delle Terre Nere Santo Spirito Etna Rosso 2021
Premier Cru. Supple and fine with lovely redcurrants and red cherry. Quite direct with stony notes and some juiciness. Very finely textured with a bit of grippy structure providing balance. Beautiful weight here. 96/100
Tenute delle Terre Nere Caldera Sottana Etna Rosso 2021
Textured, fine, supple and refined with lovely red cherries and strawberries. Elegant, but has good fine-grained structure and lovely weight. Stony and mineral with nice hints of iodine. Very fine. 96/100