Tenuta Delle Terre Nere Etna Red DOC San Lorenzo, 750ml, Sicily, Italy

The Wine
Etna Rosso San Lorenzo comes from 8 hectares of vineyards in the district of the same name in the municipality of Randazzo. In some plots the vines are more than 70 years old, the altitude is 750 meters above sea level, the soil is almost pure volcanic ash.
The terroir of Contrada San Lorenzo was originated from lava flows and volcano-clastic deposits related to the effusive and explosive activity of the Elliptic volcano approximately between 60,000 and 15,000 years ago. Although very young in geological terms, the Elliptic soil is the oldest surface layer where it is possible to plant in the appellation. The reason is simple: millennia of lava flows have buried the oldest soils, leaving, in fact, only small and rare portions of the soil of the Elliptic. On the north side of Etna there are five or six Contradas that have “elliptical terroir”. Three of them, however, are spurious, as the igneous nature of the Elliptic is mixed with alluvial soils of a sedimentary nature due to the overflow of the Alcantara river. On the north side of Etna only three Contradas are “pure” elliptical terroir: Bocca d’Orzo, Calderara and San Lorenzo.
San Lorenzo is the Contrada that marks the North West border of the D.O.C. Etna and therefore has the coldest climate of the D.O.C. This climate combined with soils especially rich in ash, creates a unique and unrepeatable combination. Wines that at the same time enclose vigor and generosity in a sumptuous tension. Purebred wines.
Vineyard & Winemaking
First released vintage: 2015
Production area: contrada San Lorenzo, township of Randazzo (Catania)
Varietals of grapes: 100% Nerello mascalese
Extension of the vineyard: 8 ha, in the coldest area of the appellation
Yield per hectare: 5 tons/ha
Characteristics of the soil: volcanic, the soil is quite deep and with a 50/50 of stones and ashes Exposure: northern slope of the Mount Etna, 800-900 meters a.s.l.
Average age of the vines: between 70 and 100 years old
Type of cultivation: en goblet and modified en goblet
Harvest: last decade of October
Vinification: alcoholic fermentation under controlled temperature (28-30° C) Aging: spontaneous malolactic fermentation and aging in French oak barriques, tonneaux. Bottling after 14 months of wood aging and 1 month in steel.
Tasting notes
Color: ruby to deep ruby
Nose: penetrating "springy" bouquet, rich ripe fruit and spice
Flavor: structured, full and complex, with smooth tannic feel
2023 Vintage: Impressed with its clarity and detail, a fleshy palate with full body, crisp refreshing acidity and velvety tannins with a slightly dusty yet ripe texture.
The Estate
The estate is located on the northern slopes of Etna, within the hilly belt that extends between Solicchiata and Randazzo, historically the area historically recognized as the finest in the appellation for fine red wines. The estate consists of approximately 45 hectares divided into 29 plots and in nine Contradas (crus).