Wine Reviews

The 2021 Etna Rosso Animardenta Santo Spirito is wickedly fresh, opening with a whiff of savory herbs and crushed rocks that gives way to wild strawberries and rose petals. This possesses a lovely inner sweetness that’s further enhanced by ripe red berries as autumnal spices swirl atop a core of grippy tannin. The 2021 finishes long, gently tannic and beautifully balanced. A note of licorice remains on the close.

The 2022 Maharis, 100% Syrah, wafts up with a smoky bouquet of plum sauce, grilled sage and camphor. This is pure elegance on the palate, with creamy textures offset by tart red and black fruits and a guiding core of zesty acidity. Violet and lavender florals resonate as the 2022 finishes with a bitter blackberry concentration, casting hints of dark chocolate over a bed of fine tannins. While already pleasing to the senses, the 2022 is balanced for medium-term cellaring.

A youth wine with tangy minerality and savory notes of earth, cassis, anchovies and leaves. The attack is firm, with a solid spine of acidity, a chewy palate and a polished finish that will develop more complexity with bottle aging. From organically grown grapes

A captivating blend of crushed violets, lavender, blackberries and wet stone wafts up from the 2021 Saia. Cool-toned and lifted in feel, a potent core of ripe red and blue fruits provides a framework as juicy acidity adds freshness. An enjoyably bitter tinge of tangerine forms toward the close. Staining and long, the 2021 finishes off with a coating of fine tannins and a saturation of primary concentration that creates a slightly chewy sensation toward the close. This is a fantastic and energetic rendition of Saia, a varietal Nero d’Avola that I expect will age quite nicely