WTN: Etna Miss-o

[Jenise]

2020 Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Rosso Etna DOC Nerello Mascalese
Pale ruby; as pale on the palate as it is in color. Sketchy red fruit of strawberry and rhubarb with parsley notes. I've had great vintages of this wine before--this isn't one.

[David M. Bueker]

Rhubarb and parsley is a definite no for me!

[Jenise]

It was a gift that came with two plates of food from people who were being so thoughtful and sympathetic about our quarantine, so we drank every drop but had I purchased it myself I'd have probably fed it to the azaleas.

too bad, I have also liked in the past (usually more than its more expensive stablemates).

[Jenise]

Sad. Bears no resemblance. A very definite underripe, cold vintage vibe in the worst way. Didn't think those happened anywhere anymore.

Interesting … I’ve been trying some more Italian whites this year and last night we had the Etna Bianco 2020…. It was delicious and only $20!

A very definite underripe, cold vintage vibe in the worst way. Didn't think those happened anywhere anymore.

It very well might be a climate change-related problem. Excessive sun and heat can cause sugar levels to soar and acidity levels to plummet in maturing grapes. If you're trying to avoid having too little acidity in the wine, your choices are to wait until the grapes really do become physically ripe and then adding acidity later (this is what they commonly do in California), or harvesting the grapes early before they are really physically mature.

If the AOC regulations for Etna wines don't allow acidification, they may have had no choice except to harvest too early, before the grapes were really mature. As Jancis Robinson observed, if you do this, all sorts of things from the salad bowl and vegetable shelf creep into the aromas and flavors. That's likely where the rhubarb and parsley came from.

A similar thing happened to Chateau St. Jean back in the 1980s when they first attempted to make a sparkling wine via methode champenoise. They harvested way too early based on sugar and acidity levels. The resulting sparkling wine smelled and tasted of asparagus and cabbage. One of the worst wines I've ever tasted. I was shocked that such a reputable winery would release such swill. I see they still market a sparkler, but that first attempt was a disaster.

-Paul W.

[Jenise]

Interesting … I’ve been trying some more Italian whites this year and last night we had the Etna Bianco 2020…. It was delicious and only $20!

Had it and loved it once in a restaurant, but have never even seen it in a wine store. Great catch!