Pietradolce Etna Rosso Vigna Barbagalli 2016
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James
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Winemaker Notes
The 2016 Pietradolce Etna Vigna Barbagalli is aged 20 months in French, fine grain oak barrels that have been lightly toasted. A rich bouquet ranging from red berry jam to spices and mineral notes; elegant and full of character at the same time; distinctive minerality, freshness and flavor intensity sustained by firm tannins. A lengthy, elegant and fruity finish.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Aromas of cherries and blackberries with tea, as well as spice and almond undertones. Full-bodied, chewy and tannic with dried-berry, mineral, pumice and charcoal undertones to the fruit flavors. Burnt citrus, too. A powerful and structured red from ancient vines.
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Wine & Spirits
Alberello-trained vines up to 100 years old yielded this intensely concentrated wine. Flavors of black plum and red apple skin crowd together with notes of tar, licorice and iodine, those flavors underscored by jagged black-rock tannins. This could never be mistaken for anything but a volcanic wine, and its extreme expression of smoke, savor and minerality is not for the faint of heart
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Wine Enthusiast
Scorched earth, blue flower and plum mix with balsamic aromas of camphor on this brawny red. Full-bodied and concentrated, the dense— almost syrupy—palate offers dried cherry, prune, mint and star anise alongside tight, close-grained tannins that leave a rather astringent, drying finish. You’ll also detect the heat of evident alcohol.
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At the heart of their philosophy lies a deep love and respect for the land on which we depend, getting the best from traditional methods while using with wisdom the latest developments in grape growing and wine making without compromising the environment that gives life to their passion.
With hundreds of red grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended red wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged resulting in a wide variety of red wine styles. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a red wine blend variety that creates a fruity and full-bodied wine would do well combined with one that is naturally high in acidity and tannins. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
How to Serve Red Wine
A common piece of advice is to serve red wine at “room temperature,” but this suggestion is imprecise. After all, room temperature in January is likely to be quite different than in August, even considering the possible effect of central heating and air conditioning systems. The proper temperature to aim for is 55° F to 60° F for lighter-bodied reds and 60° F to 65° F for fuller-bodied wines.
How Long Does Red Wine Last?
Once opened and re-corked, a bottle stored in a cool, dark environment (like your fridge) will stay fresh and nicely drinkable for a day or two. There are products available that can extend that period by a couple of days. As for unopened bottles, optimal storage means keeping them on their sides in a moderately humid environment at about 57° F. Red wines stored in this manner will stay good – and possibly improve – for anywhere from one year to multiple decades. Assessing how long to hold on to a bottle is a complicated science. If you are planning long-term storage of your reds, seek the advice of a wine professional.
A large, geographically and climatically diverse island, just off the toe of Italy, Sicily has long been recognized for its fortified Marsala wines. But it is also a wonderful source of diverse, high quality red and white wines. Steadily increasing in popularity over the past few decades, Italy’s fourth largest wine-producing region is finally receiving the accolades it deserves and shining in today's global market.
Though most think of the climate here as simply hot and dry, variations on this sun-drenched island range from cool Mediterranean along the coastlines to more extreme in its inland zones. Of particular note are the various microclimates of Europe's largest volcano, Mount Etna, where vineyards grow on drastically steep hillsides and varying aspects to the Ionian Sea. The more noteworthy red and white Sicilian wines that come from the volcanic soils of Mount Etna include Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio (reds) and Carricante (whites). All share a racy streak of minerality and, at their best, bear resemblance to their respective red and white Burgundies.
Nero d’Avola is the most widely planted red variety, and is great either as single varietal bottling or in blends with other indigenous varieties or even with international ones. For example, Nero d'Avola is blended with the lighter and floral, Frappato grape, to create the elegant, Cerasuolo di Vittoria, one of the more traditional and respected Sicilian wines of the island.
Grillo and Inzolia, the grapes of Marsala, are also used to produce aromatic, crisp dry Sicilian white. Pantelleria, a subtropical island belonging to the province of Sicily, specializes in Moscato di Pantelleria, made from the variety locally known as Zibibbo.