Derived from vines nestled beneath the oft-pluming smoke of Mount Etna, Nerello Mascalese finds its most beautiful expression here thanks to the stunning minerality of its volcanic soils as well as guaranteed freshness lent by the higher elevation site. Although Nero d’Avola has long been the most famous grape of Sicily, the last 5-6 years have seen the little-known Nerello Mascalese grape ascend in popularity as prices in Burgundy have simultaneously hit the stratosphere. Sicily has incredible viticultural history and has been an ancient winegrowing region that saw cultivation long before the Greeks made their viticultural advances in 500 BC. Nerello Mascalese has been growing around Mount Etna for at least two centuries. Although it is also found in other parts of the island, the most profound examples are grown in these unique volcanic soils. If you have never experienced the wines of Mount Etna, this is an ideal place to start.
The Murgo family has been producing top-quality Nerello Mascalese from the southeastern slopes of Mount Etna since 1980. The Murgo estate was founded in 1850, but it was the patriarch, Baron Emanuele Scammacca del Murgo, that was responsible for bringing the estate in the modern age. Along with his sons, Michele, Pietro, and Matteo, he crafts a Nerello Mascalese that is one of the finest examples in the appellation. Following destemming, the fruit is macerated for 7-8 days in climate-controlled stainless. The wine is racked into traditional chestnut barrels, native to Etna, where it matures for 6-8 months. The wine is blended and aged for an additional month in stainless. The final wine is bottled no less than one year after harvest and receives an additional three months of bottle age before release. The result is a perfumed, incredibly soft wine that is reminiscent of a Chambolle-Musigny for a fraction of the price.
This 2014 Murgo Etna Rosso has a dark ruby red core with pink reflections on the rim. The delicate and perfumed nose is driven by floral aromas of wild red berries, wild red and purple flowers, dried orange peel, and raspberry with a hint of white pepper that gives way to a touch of smokiness and dried crushed earth from the volcanic soils. The medium-bodied palate is incredibly silky and soft with layers of delicate flavors that delineate on the palate. A wine to buy by the case, this Sicilian beauty will compel you to drink glass after glass. This wine is great now but will truly hit its prime in about a year from now. So please stash some away for as long as you can. For immediate enjoyment, decant for a minimum of thirty minutes and serve in Burgundy stems between 55-60 degrees. For a taste of Sicily, try
this Caponata recipe that’s akin to French Ratatouille with an Italian twist.
