Armagia Etna Rosso 2019

“Everything is so intense here—the nature, the soils, the climate,” says winemaker Filippo Mangione of Mt. Etna, the highest and most active volcano in Europe. And it all makes for a wild yet wonderful place to craft wine. His Armagia Rosso showcases just what this special place can produce, with layers of fruit and spices set along a defined streak of minerality.

Filippo farms small plots of old vines set at various elevations along Etna’s slopes. Regardless of location, the terrain is steep and rugged, making vineyard maintenance laborious—while a looming threat of eruptions ensures a constant feeling of uncertainty.

But for Filippo, the rich, fertile soils shaped by centuries of volcanic ash and pumice deposits make his efforts all worthwhile.

For this bottling, he blended native Sicilian grapes Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio and aged the wine 18 months in chestnut barrels. The result is medium-bodied but delicate, with a complexity of berry, red cherry, nutmeg, cedar and thyme nuances structured by that distinct earthy-mineral volcanic tone and tannins.