Alberelli Di Giodo 2021

Podere Giodo is the project of acclaimed winemaker Carlo Ferrini and his daughter Bianca, better known in Montalcino but here working on the slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily. Alberelli di Giodo is made from Nerello Mascalese, the volcano's leading red grape, grown in the bush-trained alberello vines that give the wine its name. Etna's volcanic soils, rich in black sand, ash and mineral salts, drain freely and lend a smoky, savoury signature, while the altitude and wide day-to-night temperature swing slow ripening and hold the grape's high acidity and fine tannin. The 2021 spends eighteen months in oak barrels, where slow oxygen exchange resolves Nerello's firm structure and adds a frame of spice. It is a pale ruby that lightens at the rim, showing red cherry and wild berries, smoke, dried herbs, liquorice and a peppery, mineral edge. The palate is elegant and structured, with bright acidity, fine grippy tannin and a long, savoury, volcanic finish. Serve at 16 to 17 degrees, decanted if young. It suits grilled meats and earthy dishes.