Girolamo Russo 'Etna Rosato', Etna, Sicily 2024

Giuseppe Russo had been studying piano in Catania when his father Girolamo died unexpectedly in 2005. He returned home to Passopisciaro on the northern slope of Mount Etna to take over the family's old vineyards, and has since become one of the most admired producers in Sicily's ongoing Etna renaissance. Working 15 hectares of organic estate vineyards — many with vines over 100 years old, rooted in ancient volcanic lava flows called sciare — Giuseppe has restored the family cellar and built a reputation for wines of exceptional mineral precision, from a range of single-contrada Nerello Mascalese reds to this highly regarded rosato.

• WINEMAKER: Giuseppe Russo
• FARMING: Certified Organic. Old bush-trained and head-trained vines planted between 1920 and 2005. Farmed entirely by hand: spur pruning, ploughing, hoeing, and trellising.
• VARIETY: 100% Nerello Mascalese
• TERROIR: Vineyards are planted on ancient lava flows — sciare — on the north side of Mount Etna around Passopisciaro, which vary in age, mineral content, and topsoil composition, with underground pockets that allow water retention. The Rosato is drawn exclusively from old vines in the Contrada San Lorenzo, at approximately 725 meters elevation. The north-facing aspect of Etna gives longer growing seasons and greater diurnal temperature variation than the southern slopes, preserving acidity and aromatic intensity in the fruit.
• VINIFICATION: Grapes are harvested manually in early October. Whole bunches are pressed over approximately five hours, allowing for gradual extraction of color and flavor from the skins. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks using indigenous yeasts at controlled temperature
• AGING: 6 months in stainless steel, on the lees. Sterile filtered. Approximately 15,000 bottles produced.
• TASTING NOTES: Vibrant and savoury, with peppery minerality and aromas of white peach and fresh pear. Medium-bodied, waxy, and youthful on the palate, with stone-fruit flavors, silky texture, and a precise, mineral-driven finish.
• FOOD PAIRINGS: Salmon, roast chicken, pork, pasta dishes, seafood, and grilled light meats.
• SCORES: James Suckling 94 (2024)