Girolamo Russo
Etna Rosato 2024
| Denomination | DOC Etna Rosato |
|---|---|
| Size | 0,75 l |
| Alcohol content | 12.5% by volume |
| Area | Sicily (Italy) |
| Grape varieties | 100% Nerello Mascalese |
| Aging | 6 months in steel |
- Name and vintage: Etna Rosato DOC 2024, still rosé wine 0.75 l, 12.5% vol
- Grape variety: 100% Nerello Mascalese from ancient organic vines up to 80 years old
- Volcanic origin: Contrada San Lorenzo, northern slope of Etna, 700 m, sandy soils
- Vinification: hand-picked, fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged 6 months in steel
- Profile: notes of cherry, strawberry and white pepper; fresh and savoury, rated 94 points
Description
What kind of wine it is
The Etna Rosato by Girolamo Russo is a still rosé wine made from Nerello Mascalese grapes. It stands out for its elegant powder pink colour and an aromatic profile where notes of cherry, strawberry and raspberry blend with subtle hints of white pepper. On the palate, it reveals immediate freshness and a solid savoury structure, supported by the pronounced acidity typical of the grape variety. The balance between these elements gives the sip remarkable organoleptic precision and a persistent finish.
Where it comes from
This wine originates from the northern slopes of Mount Etna, within the San Lorenzo district. The vineyards, located at seven hundred metres above sea level, grow on sandy volcanic soil rich in minerals, a fundamental element that imparts the wine with its characteristic savouriness. The vines, some up to eighty years old, are cultivated organically using bush-trained and modified bush-trained to espalier systems. The low yields ensure a raw material of great concentration.
How it is produced
Production begins with a manual harvest carried out in the first days of October. In the cellar, spontaneous fermentation takes place at a controlled temperature, activated exclusively by the indigenous yeasts naturally present on the skins. The wine then undergoes six months of ageing in steel tanks, a technical choice aimed at enhancing the fruit's vibrancy and preserving the aromatic integrity. This meticulous approach has earned it a score of ninety-four points from James Suckling.
History and Curiosities
The Etna Rosato 2024 by Girolamo Russo is an authentic expression of volcanic terroir, the result of 80-year-old vines cultivated organically at an altitude of 700 metres. This precious interpretation of pure Nerello Mascalese stands out for its elegant powder pink colour and releases aromas of strawberry and raspberry, with hints of white pepper. Thanks to spontaneous fermentation, the palate is vibrant, fresh and savoury, awarded 94 points by James Suckling for its exceptional organoleptic precision and long persistence.
Awards
-
2024
94/100
James Suckling is an influential American wine critic and journalist who worked at Wine Spectator for 30 years. He left the magazine in 2010 to start his own website and guidebook (JamesSuckling.com). He specialises in Italian and Bordeaux wines.
Tasting notes
Perfume
Color
Taste
Serve at:
10 - 12 °C
Longevity:
05 - 10 years
- Start up year: 2005
- Oenologist: Emiliano Falsini
- Bottles produced: 70.000
- Hectares: 18
This is the north face of Europe’s largest active volcano, Mount Etna, in the north-eastern corner of Sicily.
The Russos have 26 hectares of land in and around Passopisciaro, with 15 hectares of vineyards surrounded by olive and hazelnut groves. The vineyards are high up, between 650 and 780 metres above sea level, inland from the beautiful town of Taormina. Many of the free-standing bush vines are over 80 years old, surviving in harmony with Etna’s black, mineral-rich volcanic soil.
Giuseppe works the vineyards organically and makes the wines himself. He vinifies each parcel separately, seeking out their individual identities in a series of wines that reflect the diverse character of their terroirs.
Some lava flows are very recent, too recent even to plant on.
The area is broken up into sectors known as ‘contradas’. Each contrada has a name and is linked to one of Etna’s townships. Read more
| Name | Girolamo Russo Etna Rosato 2024 |
|---|---|
| Type | Rosé green still |
| Denomination | Etna DOC |
| Vintage | 2024 |
| Size | 0,75 l |
| Alcohol content | 12.5% by volume |
| Grape varieties | 100% Nerello Mascalese |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Sicily |
| Vendor | Girolamo Russo |
| Story | History and Curiosities The Etna Rosato 2024 by Girolamo Russo is an authentic expression of volcanic terroir, the result of 80-year-old vines cultivated organically at an altitude of 700 metres. This precious interpretation of pure Nerello Mascalese stands out for its elegant powder pink colour and releases aromas of strawberry and raspberry, with hints of white pepper. Thanks to spontaneous fermentation, the palate is vibrant, fresh and savoury, awarded 94 points by James Suckling for its exceptional organoleptic precision and long persistence. |
| Origin | Contrada San Lorenzo, northern slope of Mount Etna (700 m a.s.l.) |
| Soil composition | Volcanic, sandy soil, rich in minerals |
| Cultivation system | Bush and modified espalier bush |
| Plants per hectare | 5500 |
| Yield per hectare | 50 q/ha |
| Harvest | Manual, first days of October |
| Fermentation temperature | 15 °C |
| Production technique | Fermentazione spontanea con lieviti indigeni (naturali) |
| Wine making | Spontaneous fermentation carried out by yeasts naturally present on the grapes, with 6 months of ageing in stainless steel. |
| Aging | 6 months in steel |
| Year production | 15000 bottles |
| Allergens | Contains sulphites |