Barbazzale 2012

This is from one of the best estates on Etna, owned by the Cambria family, which has all its vineyards in the Iannazzo district of the town of Castiglione di Sicilia. The wine is made from Nerello Mascalese with a 10% addition of Nerello Cappuccino, the two main native red grapes found on Etna, which explains the wine’s clear and not very deep color. The nose has a smoky aroma that comes from the volcanic soil along with a lot of red fruit. In the mouth the acidity is very good because while the grapes may be grown in Sicily, the vineyards are at an altitude of 700m and this gives them characteristics similar those of the north. For this same reason the body is not too structured and stands out more for its acidity than its tannins. In a way this is a kind of a Mediterranean Pinot Noir.