I Custodi delle Vigne dell’Etna Nerello Cappuccio 2022

I Custodi delle Vigne dell'Etna is led by Salvo Foti, a Sicilian winemaker known for reviving old Etna traditions and the varieties that grow on the volcano. This wine is a single-variety Nerello Cappuccio, Etna's second red grape, which gives smooth, richly coloured and fruit-forward wines, generally softer and rounder than its better-known relative Nerello Mascalese. The vineyards sit on the slopes of Mount Etna in DOC Etna Rosso, where the soils are volcanic, made of weathered lava, ash and mineral-rich sand. These free-draining soils and the altitude of the slopes give wide day-to-night temperature swings that hold freshness, while the volcanic ground lends a smoky, mineral signature to the fruit. The wine is organically farmed and aged in concrete, an inert material that adds no oak and keeps the bright primary fruit and deep colour intact. Expect a dark ruby wine with a nose of cherry and red berries over smoke, earth and dried herbs, then a juicy, medium-bodied palate with soft tannin, fresh acidity and a savoury, mineral finish. Serve at 16 degrees. It suits roast pork, poultry and mushroom dishes.