Girolamo Russo
Etna Rosso San Lorenzo Piano delle Colombe 2021
| Denomination | DOC Etna Rosso Riserva |
|---|---|
| Size | 0,75 l |
| Alcohol content | 14.5% by volume |
| Area | Sicily (Italy) |
| Grape varieties | 100% Nerello Mascalese |
| Aging | Aged for 18 months in 500-litre oak tonneaux and in a second-use barrique; minimum 12 months of bottle ageing. |
- Volcanic origin: Contrada San Lorenzo at 750 metres, on mineral-rich volcanic sands
- Grape variety and vintage: 100% Nerello Mascalese, harvested in 2021, alcohol content 14.5%
- Vinification: fermentation with indigenous yeasts, 18-day maceration at 28–30 °C
- Ageing: 18 months in 500-litre tonneaux and second-use barriques, followed by bottle ageing
- Tasting profile: intense ruby colour, defined tannins, elegant minerality (95 pts Vinous)
Description
What kind of wine it is
The Etna Rosso San Lorenzo Piano delle Colombe by Girolamo Russo is a still red wine made from Nerello Mascalese grapes. An expression of the renowned Etna Rosso area, it stands out for its elegant and measured style. In the glass, it displays an intense ruby colour, revealing a mineral character on the palate and a defined tannic texture. Careful management in the cellar preserves aromatic clarity, resulting in a deep flavour profile capable of evolving into a harmonious balance over time.
Where it comes from
The grapes are grown in the Contrada San Lorenzo of Randazzo, on the northern slope of the volcano at an altitude of 750 metres. The eighty-year-old vines are cultivated using a modified bush-trained system, with deliberately low yields. The roots delve into a sandy volcanic soil, rich in minerals, which imparts tension and verticality to the sip. The area's distinctive mountain climate plays a decisive role, shaping the territorial character, the dry finish, and the balanced structure of the wine.
How it is produced
Harvesting takes place at the end of October. Vinification begins with fermentation driven by indigenous yeasts, accompanied by an eighteen-day maceration on the skins to gradually extract the tannic structure. In spring, spontaneous malolactic fermentation occurs. The wine matures for eighteen months in second-use oak barrels. This process concludes with a long ageing in the bottle, essential for stabilising the substance and integrating the nuances of the wood with the volcanic essence.
History and Curiosities
Born at an altitude of 750 metres on the northern slopes of the volcano, the Etna Rosso DOC Riserva Piano delle Colombe 2021 by Girolamo Russo exudes innate elegance. This masterpiece of pure Nerello Mascalese comes to life from eighty-year-old vines rooted in deep volcanic soil, bestowing the glass with extraordinary and refined minerality. Spontaneously fermented and aged for eighteen months in oak, this wine expresses a unique complexity, awarded 95 points by Vinous. A captivating red that tells the authentic and prestigious soul of the Sicilian terroir.
Awards
-
2021
95/100
Vinous is the online guide from Antonio Galloni, one of the world's leading wine connoisseurs.
Tasting notes
Color
Taste
Serve at:
16 - 18 °C
Longevity:
15 - 25 years
Decanting time:
1 hour
- 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 Rosso San Lorenzo Piano delle Colombe 2021 |
|---|---|
| Type | Red green still |
| Denomination | Etna DOC |
| Vintage | 2021 |
| Size | 0,75 l |
| Alcohol content | 14.5% by volume |
| Grape varieties | 100% Nerello Mascalese |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Sicily |
| Vendor | Girolamo Russo |
| Story | History and Curiosities Born at an altitude of 750 metres on the northern slopes of the volcano, the Etna Rosso DOC Riserva Piano delle Colombe 2021 by Girolamo Russo exudes innate elegance. This masterpiece of pure Nerello Mascalese comes to life from eighty-year-old vines rooted in deep volcanic soil, bestowing the glass with extraordinary and refined minerality. Spontaneously fermented and aged for eighteen months in oak, this wine expresses a unique complexity, awarded 95 points by Vinous. A captivating red that tells the authentic and prestigious soul of the Sicilian terroir. |
| Origin | Contrada San Lorenzo (Randazzo) |
| Soil composition | Volcanic, sandy soil, rich in minerals. |
| Cultivation system | Modified bush trained to espalier |
| Plants per hectare | 5500 |
| Yield per hectare | 20 q |
| Harvest | Last week of October |
| Fermentation temperature | 28-30 °C |
| Fermentation | About 10 days |
| Production technique | Fermentation with indigenous native yeasts; maceration on the skins; spontaneous malolactic fermentation; ageing in oak tonneaux and second-use barriques |
| Wine making | Maceration on the skins for 18 days; fermentation with indigenous native yeasts (about 10 days) at 28–30 °C; spontaneous malolactic fermentation in spring; ageing for 18 months in 500-litre oak tonneaux and in a second-use barrique, then at least 12 months in bottle. |
| Aging | Aged for 18 months in 500-litre oak tonneaux and in a second-use barrique; minimum 12 months of bottle ageing. |
| Allergens | Contains sulphites |