There isn’t an Italian importer in America who isn’t searching for a producer from Mount Etna to represent. The problem is, there’s a finite number—of producers and productive vineyards alike—even though that number has skyrocketed recently. The terroir, and the wines, have proved great enough to attract high-profile vintners from other regions (including Piedmont’s Angelo Gaja and Tuscany’s Carlo Ferrini), which must be somewhat amusing to Ciro Biondi, whose family first sold bottled Etna wine with their name on it more than a century ago.
Ciro revived operations at his family’s ancient stone palmento in 1999, which qualifies him as a modern-era “O.G.,” and his flagship Etna Rosso, called “Outis,” is a regional reference point. As we learn more about Etna’s vineyards, which wrap around the northern, eastern, and southern flanks of this still-active volcano, we’re starting to learn more about the character of the wines grown in those different areas. For Etnean reds, the headliner variety is Nerello Mascalese, excitedly compared to Pinot Noir from Burgundy in just about any tasting note you read, and perhaps the most Pinot-like wines of all are grown on the southeastern slopes that Biondi calls home. This 2018 “Outis” is a pitch-perfect expression of the Biondi house style, which is more finessed and floral—a willowy, perfumed Chambolle-Musigny compared to the Gevrey-Chambertin-like wines of the north slope. But really, it doesn’t matter whether you find a stylistic kinship to Burgundy or not: What matters is how nuanced, expressive, and heart-stoppingly delicious this wine is, year in and year out.
And, of course, even just the mental image of Biondi’s terraced, wild-looking vineyards, rooted in black volcanic pumice stone, is enough to send you into a reverie. To see it in person might be enough for you to drink Etna Rosso, and only Etna Rosso, for the rest of your life. Spanning just five hectares of vineyards, the Ciro Biondi winery may be relatively new, but, as I noted above, his family roots here run very deep. Ciro, an architect, renovated an old stone winery structure in one of the three small, lovingly restored vineyards he owns in and around the village of Trecastagni. All three sites sit at altitudes ranging from 600-700 meters, with east/southeast. Vines are trained in the traditional alberello, or “bush,” method: they look like miniature orchards, which in fact they are.
This 2018 is a transparent, transporting red: 80% Nerello Mascalese and 20% Nerello Cappuccio aged 10 months in a combination of stainless steel tanks and used oak barrels. It is paler in color than many Etna reds, a light garnet moving to pink at the rim, but there’s no shortage of aromatic intrigue and palate persistence. Aromas of wild strawberry, red and black cherry, blood orange peel, rose petals, smoke, leather, and underbrush carry over to the fresh, tangy, medium-bodied palate. The tannins are moderate and there’s lots of freshness; you can see the Pinot Noir kinship but there’s an aromatic nod to lighter-weight Nebbiolos as well. In terms of versatility and food-friendliness, this will serve you incredibly well across a wide range of dishes. Decant it 30 minutes before serving at 60-65 degrees in Burgundy stems and you can pair it with everything from grilled salmon to roast chicken to Sicilian-style pizza. The brightness and spice of this ’18 would also be fantastic with a traditional Sicilian braciole. I can’t see, with all the great recipe options from this magical place, how you don’t go with Sicilian food here. At least with the first few bottles—after that, it’s up to you! Enjoy!
