Description

The Tasca d’Almerita family, one of Sicily’s oldest and most esteemed wine families, is now led by seventh generation Alberto Tasca. The family, who has been making wine across Sicily for over 200 years, is a leading producer of Etna wines at its Tenuta Tascante estate (the name is a portmanteau of Tasca and Etna).  The estate was founded in 2007 with the purchase of two vineyards in the communes of Castiglione di Sicilia and Randazzo on the north face of the volcano. The northern exposure is a cool-climate area, due to the combination of elevation and less direct sun, which helps to retain acidity in the wines. 

The Tasca family currently owns four parcels, located in the contrade of Pianodario and Sciaranova in Randazzo, and Rampante and Grasà in Castiglione. (A contrada is a small subdivision of a commune, based on various defining criteria such as elevation, cultural/historical significance, or the age of past lava flows.) The vineyards are mostly at elevations of 2,450 to 2,600 feet (750–800 meters) on the 11,000-foot mountain. All are certified as sustainable under SOStain, a Sicilian-based program that rates wineries and vineyards based on their impact on the environment, in conjunction with the Italian Ministry of the Environment’s VIVA indicators of sustainability.

“Opening to an exceptionally light ruby color, the 2019 Etna Rosso Contrada Pianodario is beautifully delicate and lean throughout. Personally, I love this style, and the folks at Tascante have nailed it on the head in this vintage that is, counterintuitively, known for concentrated wines, although you’d never say that while admiring the luminous hue on display here. There is good firmness and structure, achieved during fermentation on the skins and aging in traditional Slavonian oak casks. The bouquet is elegantly redolent of wild raspberry, bitter almond and blue flower. There are dusty volcanic notes as well. Only 5,700 bottles were made. Kudos!” – 94 points, Wine Advocate