WINE OF THE MONTH
ETNA ROSSO CONTRADA
SANTO SPIRITO 2016
PIETRADOLCESS120, 174, Contrada Rampante,
Castiglione di Sicilia (CT)
Retail price: 37 eurosThe re-tasting of this Etna Rosso simply blew
us away. In the glass, Santo Spirito possesses
out of the ordinary sensuality, it's the most
floral of the Etna "contrade" disticts, fresh and
pure, slightly balsamic. It conceals a sense
of balance that very in contrast with the
restlessness of the volcano; the Nerello tannin
grain reaches its peak in terms of fineness,
then the spices arrive, the finish is graceful,
very long, delicately smoked. This wine is the
product of a 4-hectare vineyard located at an
altitude of 850 meters above sea level, half of
which is pre-phylloxera, one of the coolest
areas of Etna, with cold winds that blow directly
from the main crater. The color is bright and
luminous, in the glass the aromas are airy,
refreshing, whispered, one of the greatest
Etna we tasted in recent years. And the 2017
vintage also bodes very, very well. Consider
booking a visit to Michele Faro's new winery,
in Solicchiata, on the northern slope of Mount
Etna, a minimalistic and elegant structure, with
many works of art by local artists, a biodiversity
garden and large windows overlooking the
vineyards, and the Monti Nebrodi for an
extremely evocative landscape. Ten years later,
after Mario and Michele Faro’s winery debut,
we can confidently say that Pietradolce is one
of this ultra-competitive area’s top producers.
Since then the bond between Faro and Etna has
continued to deepen, thanks to the purchase
of a couple historic vineyards in the best
contrade districts. These are vinified separately
thus producing wines that are elegant varietal
and that exhibit strong territorial identity.NEWS