Mount Etna in a Glass: A Fun Grape You Haven’t Tried Yet
nerello mascalese, volcanic soils, cooling influences
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I always ask for feedback when I curate wine for people. Usually this comes in the form of a bottle photo along with a thumbs up or down emoji. A particular wine is hitting with people recently. Although Pietradolce’s Etna Rosso has been a go-to wine for clients for some time, the 2023 seems to be especially appreciated.
Italian I assume?
Yes. It’s from Sicily and you guessed it, the vineyards lie on the Mt Etna volcano in southern Italy. I think of Sicily as the soccer ball (football) that is hit by the toe of mainland Italian boot.
Zooming in to Sicily itself, the Etna subregion is the pink crescent shape on the east side of the island.
For a long time, Sicily was more about quantity than quality. The grapes were allowed to grow to high yields, and the winemaking was non-focused. It wasn’t until the 21st century, with EU wine support programs, that the focus was shifted. Nero d’Avola is the top black grape of Sicily, with the top white grape being Catarratto.
These must be indigenous to Sicily.
Yes, as well as Nerello Mascalese, from which today’s wine is made.
Sounds like a fancy pasta dish!
It is Sicily’s 3rd most planted black grape variety. To be labelled Etna Rosso, the wine must be a minimum of 80% Nerello Mascalese with Nerello Cappuccio being the only other allowed grape.
Ah the fancy pasta comes with a fancy dinner coffee!
Isn’t it too hot to grow quality grapes in Sicily?
Not in the right growing environment. Here, altitude is key. This wine’s vines grow at 800 m (2625 ft) above sea level. This provides a cooling influence slowing down ripening and retaining acidity while flavour complexity develops.
And of course, the soil would be volcanic.
Indeed, along with being sandy. Volcanic soils also influences the temperature as they tend to be dark-coloured. During the day they absorb more heat and then release it at night or on cooler days. This is ideal for the warm Mediterranean climate of Sicily.
And cooler climate regions would do better with lighter soils, I presume?
Exactly. The perfect example is the white- or cream-coloured chalky soils of Champagne or Sancerre France. These reflect the heat and sunlight. The lower part of the vine’s canopy will actually receive sunlight for photosynthesis due to the reflective effect.
Who would your recommend this wine to?
Pinot Noir lovers really dig this wine. It has an elegance and weight similar to what Pinot Noirs are known for. Prior to drinking, I pour it in the decanter, even for just a minute, before pouring it into a glass. This just gives it the nudge it needs to come alive. Otherwise I decant it for about an hour while sneaking little tastes to see how it progresses along the way.
Okay, I am ready to move on to the featured wine details section.
Have at ‘er! The pairings make me salivate!
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Pietradolce Etna Rosso 2023 from Mount Etna, Sicily, Southern Italy
Style: Medium Body Red Wine
Variety: Nerello Mascalese
This smooth textured wine has aromas of wild berries, black cherry, blackberry, black plum, tart blackberry and cherry with herbal, baking spice, and smoky notes. The tannins are fine and the finish is long.
Best pairings: Fancy thin crust pizza, French onion soup, Italian sausage pasta dishes, Meatier fish (tuna or swordfish), poultry, or pork with tomatoes and capers, Italian cheeses (parmesan, pecorino, provolone).
Serving Temperature: 16-18 degrees Celsius
Price: ~$36
Serving Tips: Decant minimum of 1 hour or to taste
Relevant Shades of Grape links: Keep scrolling
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LINKS TO RELEVANT PAST SHADES OF GRAPE ARTICLES:
SOURCES
Sicily map of vineyards wine regions (no date). https://vineyards.com/wine-map/italy/sicily.
Stacy.Louise (2020) ‘Wine region Overview: Southern Italy - Briscoe bites,’ Briscoe Bites - Booze, Baking, Big Bites and More!, 21 August. http://briscoebites.com/wine-region-overview-southern-italy/.
Superiore.de. n.d. “Pietradolce Rosso Etna DOC 2023.” Accessed March 20, 2026. https://www.superiore.de/en/wine/sicily/pietradolce/pietradolce-rosso-etna-doc-2023.html
Vineyards.com (no date) Vineyards.com. Available at: http://www.vineyards.com (Accessed: 5 February 2026).
Wine & Spirit Education Trust (2025) D3: Wines of the World — An accompaniment to the WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines. Version 1.2. London: Wine & Spirit Education Trust.
Such an underrated varietal and region. Frappato is also another fun one from Sicily! 🍷
I’ve heard Nerello Mascalese described as “the Barolo of Sicily” (maybe a nod to the pale color), but I love that you recommend it for lovers of Pinot Noir. That feels like such a helpful entry point. Great write-up!