Nerello Mascalese from Sicily at a fabulous Costco price, the Tornatore Etna Rosso.
95% Nerello Mascalese and 5% Nerello Cappuccio from Castiglione di Sicilia on the northern slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily, Italy. The wine is aged 6 months in large wooden barrels and another 3 months in bottle before release. It has just 1.5 g/L of residual sugar.
The Tornatore Etna Rosso has an SRP of $35 but we found it at Costco for just $16.99, a great price considering it has an average price of $23 elsewhere. It is imported by Tornatore Wines USA.
Etna is a fine wine obtained by Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio, both native grapes from Etna Volcano and vinified in concrete tanks and then aged in big wooden barrels. Wine with an intensive and spicy perfume is perfect with roasted, boiled and white meats. Optimal wine serving temperature 18-20C.
Produced and Bottled by Azienda Agricola F. Tornatore
13.5% Alcohol
The 2018 Tornatore Etna Rosso shows quite a light red color in the glass. It greets you with an inviting, harmonious aroma of red cherry, black cherry and strawberry with some herbal and floral notes.
The medium bodied wine tastes smooth and round in the mouth and is quite elegant and balanced. It is at its best after a few hours of air.
It ends dry, juicy, very long and savory with nice touches of lasting spice. This is a great pick for those who prefer more elegant wines, especially at the Costco price.
You may also want to check out more of our favorite wines from Italy here!