I have reviewed one wine from Calabretta: the 2015 Calabretta Nerello Mascalese Vigne Vecchie Terre Siciliane (95 points).
Before the Etna boom, there was Calabretta. Based in Randazzo, on the north side of the volcano, Massimiliano Calabretta makes wines that are a time capsule of Etna’s history. He works with very old, ungrafted Nerello Mascalese vines and ages his flagship “Vigne Vecchie” for up to seven or eight years in large, old Slavonian oak casks before release.
The wines are radically different from the fresh, modern style common on Etna today: savory, evolved and complex, recalling old Barolo or traditional Rioja. Calabretta is for patient drinkers who value history and tertiary complexity over primary fruit.
The 2015 Nerello Mascalese Vigne Vecchie shows the old-vine character: red cherry, wild berries and dried herbs, with a smoky, earthy note that hints at its volcanic origin and a touch of floral spice. Medium-bodied, with lively acidity and fine tannins, it layers red fruit, minerals and spicy herbs into a delicate, long finish, lovely with roast lamb, grilled vegetables or richer seafood.
The 2015 Calabretta Nerello Mascalese Vigne Vecchie is a stunning expression of what Mount Etna’s volcanic region can produce. This
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