Tenuta Terre Nere, Calderara Sottana 2005 Etna Rosso

De Grazia’s first vintage at Terre Nere (‘black soils’) was 2002, a year later than Franchetti’s. Talking to him, I got the impression that De Grazia is still exploring the possibilities but there is no doubting his passion for this rediscovered wine region, which he thinks is every bit as expressive and nuanced as Burgundy or the Langhe.  He continues to acquire vineyard here and last year even made a white wine from young Carricante vines. But the crown jewels are the old Nerello bush vines, many planted before the arrival of phylloxera, mainly Nerello Mascalase and Nerello Mantellato (the latter another reason for a new grape book…) Gaja’s ex agronomist Federico Cultas has had considerable influence here and this year those trying to spin gold out of the ancient territory and ancient vines grown there will include incomers from Holland, Belgium, Piemonte and Tuscany as well as investors from further west in Sicily such as Tasca D’Almerita, Corvo and the Planeta family who have considerably extended their investment here. It sounds like quite a party.