Nerello Mascalese

This is a Rose made in Sicily from 40 year old Nerello Mascalese vines.  Very pale pink with slight orange swirls.  The side of my glass is filled with tiny bubbles.  The nose is nice with cherries, almonds and slight wintergreen.  Medium bodied and slightly viscous.  Jut the slightest bit of spritz to the wine.  Probably trapped CO2 as there is nothing off about it. On the palate, this is crisp with sour cherries, cherries and slight minerality.  Long finish.  This is smooth with no bitterness.  Drink over the next few years.  This would work well with deep fried veggies or chicken strips.

This is an interesting blend in an Italian sparkling wine.  It is 75% Nerello Mascalese from Sicily and 25% Glera from the Veneto.  The packaging is quite fun and bright.  Light salmon pink in color with a nice mousse of small bubbles.  Clear and bright.  The nose is tight but with air shows nice raspberry fruit with a light rhubarb note.  The wine has 10 g/l of residual sugar but it comes off as dry.  11.5% abv.  On the palate, cherries with a sort of tree bark note underneath.  Very interesting and very food friendly.  It drinks well on its own and would work well with pork chops and many

This is made from the Nerello Mascalese grapes grown on the sloped of Mt.

This is a blend of 90% Nerello Mascalese, and 10% Nerello Cappuccio from the southeast slope of Mt.

This is 100% Nerello Mascalese from vineyards in Sicily that are 1,600 feet in altitude.  Purple in color, with some ruby swirls, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with smoke, cherries, and black pepper.  Medium to full bodied.  Although there are firm tannins, this has an inviting soft texture.  Good acidity.  The palate has cherries, black cherries over a char.  Very concentrated.  Long finish.  This is drinking well now and should continue for another ten to fifteen years.  It will work better with food such as sword fish served as Involtini di pesce spade.  

This is 100% Certified Organic Nero Mascalese grapes from Sicily grown in sandy soils in western Sicily.  A really great value.  Garnet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is very nice with cherries, black cherries, slight smoke and slight herbal note (chervil?).  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this has black cherry fruit with underlying char.  Also a bit of pepperiness.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  Somewhat like a mythical blend of Pinot Noir and Zinfandel.  This was a real crowd pleaser among friends I served it to.  Drinking quite well on its own, this would work great with pas

Very nice showing for this wine which seems to be at the younger side of peak right now.  Grown on the side of Mount Etna and made from Nero Mascalese.  It drinks very much like a smoky Pinot Noir.  Garnet in color.  The nose has cherries and underlying char.  On the palate, wispy tannins.  Lots of cherries with depth and concentration.  Great acidity.  Long finish.  This is a very interesting wine that demands contemplation but is also quite tasty.  Will work great with pasta, veggies and medium and lighter foods.  

Another interesting wine from Italy and Sicily.  This is a blend of Nerello Mascalese, and Nerello Cappuccio.  Grown on slopes on Mt.

This is made from 100% Nerello Mascalese grapes.  Salmon color, clear and bright.  The nose has strawberries, slight raspberries and a hint of rhubarb.  This took about 30 minutes to open once the screw cap was removed.  The palate is very smooth.  No bite on it which is quite refreshing.  There is a nice tart acidity on it which makes if very food friendly.  Light cherries with a slight herbal note somewhat akin to bitters on the finish.  It works very well at the table.  This is a nice and easy rose and a very good value.