Volcanic and mineral soils are abundant in the D.O.C. Etna Rosso. However, if this area of southern Italy stands out for one thing, it is for the complexity of its soils, where different veins and materials are mixed, forming different sub-regions with their own characteristics. This concept, which is similar to the French crûs, is known in Italy as a Contrada. And the Tenuta delle Terre winery has a presence in seven of them, where they produce unique and unrivalled wines.
Tenuta delle Terre Nere Calderara Sottana Etna Rosso DOC is one of them. This coupage of Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio is produced in the Calderara Contrada, in the municipality of Randazzo (in Catania), on the north side of Etna. The estate covers about 15 hectares of stony soils, where pumice and basalt are abundant. Its high capacity to retain heat, which is then released at night, is what gives this terrain its name, a terrain that originated with the lava deposited by the volcano throughout history. The vines are very old (between 60 and 100 years old) and grow between 600 and 700 metres above sea level.
Tenuta delle Terre Nere Calderara Sottana Etna Rosso DOC is harvested between the first and second half of October and quickly taken to the winery, where it undergoes alcoholic and malolactic fermentation. The first happens under controlled temperature (between 28°C-30°C); the second is spontaneous, in French oak barrels, where the wine will be aged for 14 months. Once fully tamed and controlled, Tenuta delle Terre Nere Calderara Sottana Etna Rosso DOC is bottled and spends another month resting before being released for sale. Hurry, they’re flying off the shelves!