2023 Etna Bianco

Being one of the first on the scene in Etna imparted Marco de Grazia with insights into the region that few others possess. Because of this, he’s been able to grow the Tenuta delle Terre Nere portfolio by leaps and bounds over the last 20 years while staying ahead of the curve the entire way. Over the years, de Grazia developed an extended selection of Etna Bianco and established Premier Crus and Grand Crus within his portfolio. Aside from celebrating his accomplishments, de Grazia is always the first to be blatantly honest about his failures. I’ve heard him criticize his wines more often than anyone else—that is part of what keeps him constantly in pursuit of further improvements. This year, de Grazia has completed the construction of a new barrel-aging facility dedicated to the Etna Rosso, which now allows him to mature the wine between 14 and 16 months in barrel before release (it was just shy of 12 months in the past). The entry level Etna Rosso has slowly been improving over the years, and yet the price remains remarkably fair. It's easily one of the best buys coming out of Etna today. Also, with the 2022 vintage, Terre Nere is releasing their Etna Rosso Bellacolonna from a "young vine" selection planted in 2006 and 2007 within the Calderara Sottana cru. It’s zesty and aromatic—also incredibly fresh, deep and refined. Think of this as a baby step above the Etna Rosso. As for 2022, an incredibly dry vintage partly saved by near-perfect conditions through October, some wines are warm-vintage in feel; they maintain fantastic acid balance and well-formed tannins. In many cases, the 2022s will drink sooner than the average vintage, but they deliver masses of pleasure in a harmonious package. There are several serious standouts in the lineup, such as the Etna Rosso Calderara Sottana, Dagala di Bocca d'Orzo and Guardiola. I made sure to add a “+” to several scores, as I can only imagine that they may be deserving of higher marks in years to come. Looking ahead to 2023, the winery lost about 25% of its production to downy mildew. The only wine I tasted from 2023 during this visit was the delicious Etna Rosato, produced in just 4,000 bottles versus the usual 40,000 produced.