The ancient local grape variety Nerello Mascalese, which today has enjoyed a highly successful revival around Mount Etna in eastern Sicily, has here been moved to the other end of the island, to the area around the town of Salemi, located about 40 km east of the coastal town of Marsala, the westernmost point of the island. This is where Sicily’s most vineyard-rich area is found, benefiting greatly from a perfect terroir in terms of climate, soil, and topography.
Cantina Orsogna from the Abruzzo region has also “moved south”, and here, at an altitude of around 450 metres above sea level in hilly terrain with soils consisting of limestone and tuff (volcanic ash), they have produced a delightful wine from this excellent grape.
The biodynamically grown grapes were fermented in stainless steel tanks, and the fermentation took place spontaneously, using the grapes’ own natural yeasts, in order to express the wine’s natural and authentic character as fully as possible. After fermentation, the wine was matured in tank for 6 months before bottling.
The wine has a beautiful, bright ruby-red colour. On the nose, it is immediately charming and offers delicate notes of dark cherries, almost kirsch-like, dried flowers, lightly spicy nuances of white pepper, and a subtle hint of liquorice root. On the palate, it is fresh and beautifully juicy, with vibrant acidity and fine, ripe, well-integrated tannins. Overall, this is a very well-composed and harmonious wine, finishing with a distinctive mineral signature from the volcanic soil.
Best enjoyed slightly chilled at around 15°C with pasta dishes, pork, chicken, and grilled fish such as tuna.
