Suffice it to say that a shy, working-class kid from a remote island off the coast of Morocco doesn’t become a globally celebrated wine sensation overnight unless he’s talented. I mean
seriously talented. Fortunately for Eduardo Torres Acosta, every vine and wine he touches turns to gold.
That’s why, lately, I see today’s startlingly delicious and sophisticated red holding court on wine lists at practically every top Italian restaurant in California. This bottle proves that not all Etna Rossos need be an homage to the monstrous, tannic reds of mainland Italy. On the contrary, today’s “Versante Nord” is a love note to the complexity and seductive perfume of Red Burgundy, sealed with a kiss of Sicily’s inimitable volcanic terroir. It’s a stunning wine and a fittingly epic introduction to Mount Etna’s hottest young star. One last important point: Like all world-class appellations, top Etna reds demand equally top dollar on the retail market. Whether it’s Terre Nere’s “Prephylloxera” or Salvo Foti’s “Vinupetra,” the mountain’s finest wines are never cheap—except for today! This bottle is a rare opportunity to experience the work of an undeniably gifted young producer in an elite terroir...before the price goes through the roof!
The quiet, shy son of a humble grape-farming postman on the Canary Island of Tenerife, Eduardo arrived in Sicily without much fanfare in 2012. But soon thereafter, he was interning under the wing of Sicilian wine icon Arianna Occhipinti. Two years later, he was lending his preternatural talents to Passopisciaro, one of the most globally recognized names in Sicily. Another year later, and Eduardo could be found farming his own vineyards high up in the exclusive, notoriously anti-outsider vineyards of Mount Etna. I have no idea how he achieved all this in a mere three years, but by the time his first harvest wrapped up, Eduardo was creating an even louder buzz while vinifying grapes in the cellar of his new flame/former mentor Arianna Occhipinti. Eduardo’s first vintage sold out upon release and the rest is history!
Today’s electrifying red says “IGT Terre Siciliane” on the label, but don’t be fooled by the nomenclature. To be clear: this is 100% Mount Etna fruit farmed organically, but because Eduardo vinified this wine at the Occhipinti estate further south in the appellation of Vittoria, it is not legally allowed to be labeled “Etna Rosso.” But there’s certainly no mistaking Etna’s deep-fruited, intensely volcanic terroir in every sip of this wine. Grapes are culled from two 2,000-foot elevation, north-facing parcels, “Pietramarina” and “Verzella,” that are planted mostly to classic Etna varietal Nerello Mascalese, but also a minority percentage mosaic of ancient local grapes, including the white Carricante. This mineral blast of old-vine fruit, combined with vinification in concrete (with 10% of fruit left in whole clusters), equals a brilliant recipe for an Etna red that deftly balances power with perfume and refinement. Eduardo bottles the wine only after 16 months in 2500-liter, neutral Slavonian oak botti.
With some wines, you can see how delicious they are even before you’ve taken a sip. Eduardo Torres’ 2016 “Versante Nord” is like that: A lustrous, crimson wave cascades from the decanter and brings with it a storm of dark cherries, violets, wild mountain herbs, and an inimitable volcanic intensity that can only originate in Mount Etna’s best real estate. On the palate, there’s a textural complexity and fine-grained tannic structure that suggests a far, far costlier wine. While many of Etna’s top reds are either rounded off with oak spice or funkified with “natural” fermentation, this beauty is an exercise in balance, sophistication, and class. It’s an Etna red for those who’d love to sip warm-vintage Nuits Saint Georges in between bites of pan-seared duck drenched in a fig/red wine reduction. With judicious use of sulfites, this deeply satisfying wine will leave you feeling energized the morning after—or in 5-7 years because this is clearly built for the cellar (I'm happily sitting on a six-pack of the last two vintages). For drinking today, simply decant for 30 minutes and serve at 60 degrees in large Burgundy stems. Cheers!
