Once upon a time, not so long ago, Nerello Mascalese was an outcast. Shunned from tables, looked down upon by sommeliers, the indigenous Sicilian grape was at best ignored, along with the island where it was produced, or at worst associated with a sea of bad wine. Over the past decade, however, the ugly duckling has emerged as a swan: Adored in wine bars, the darling of dinner parties.

One of the island’s indigenous grapes, Nerello Mascalese is at its best in this Etna Rosso. Beautifully balanced, rustic and elegant – the versatility of this wine encapsulates the fervour that surrounds Etna’s boutique producers. Introduce yourself to Sicilian wine, and believe the hype.

Fruit comes from the Terra Costantino estate’s carefully tended Certified Organic vineyard on the southeast slope of Mount Etna. Grapes are harvested by hand, and wine ages in stainless steel and large oak casks prior to bottling.

“Ambitious Etna with layered, toasty aromas, dried cherries and smoky whiffs. Slightly earthy and leathery, too. Medium-bodied with firm, chalky tannins and not quite fully integrated acidity. Drink or hold.”
93 points, Aldo Fiordelli, James Sucking, July 2025

“A nose of vanilla, pineapple, pear, quince and key lime evolves subtly into a palate of fresh and dried pineapple, apple, lemon and lime, where lively acid and undertones of crushed rocks and salt push back against a silken texture.”
93 points, Danielle Callegari, Wine Enthusiast, May 2025