Derived from vines nestled beneath the often pluming smoke of Mount Etna, Nerello Mascalese finds its most beautiful expression thanks to the stunning minerality from the volcanic soils and the guaranteed freshness lent by the higher elevation of the 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 the prices in Burgundy have simultaneously hit the stratosphere. 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 grown on other parts of the island, the most profound examples are grown in the volcanic soils of Mount Etna. If you’ve never experienced the wines of Mount Etna, you will want to try this now. 

 

It is here that 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, although Baron Emanuele Scammacca del Murgo was the patriarch 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 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 then ages for an additional month in stainless. It is bottled no less than one year following harvest and receives an additional three months of bottle age prior to release. The result is a perfumed, incredibly soft wine that is reminiscent of a Chambolle-Musigny for a fraction of the price.