As the grape name let you guess, this Nerello Mascalese presents itself with a very dark color.
At first, the nose is fruity and very appealing. On subsequent sniffs, herbaceous notes come forward and dominate, accompanied by hints of earth. The toasting of the barrique also comes through.
In the mouth, a bit light, but with a distinct freshness and agreeable tannins; although a bit on the drying side.
The finish is kind of abrupt, but the fairly long fruity persistence compensates for it.
I find the wine more attractive and richer on the nose than in the mouth, but for a wine made 7 years ago that I bought in Palermo for 13 EUR, I’m overall more than satisfied.
The vines that deliver the grapes to produce this wine grow at 750 m/s over the volcanic slopes of Mt Etna in Sicily, where Nerello Mascalese is thought to have originated.
Nerello Mascalese is a grape variety that I taste only for the second time. A few years ago, when wine was for me still a highly esoteric topic, I drank a bottle of Etna Rosso DOC and enjoyed it a lot.
Etna is one of the earliest Italian DOC and the Rosso variety is predominately made with Nerello Mascalese, with the addition of up to 20% of Nerello Cappuccino.
Fatagione 2011 is made by Cottanera winery using a blend of 85% Nerello Mascalese and 15% Merlot and Syrah. The wine is refined for 12 months in barriques (40% new). According to my tasting notes, a bit less oak would probably have been beneficial to the drinking experience.
Nerello Mascalese I find an interesting discovery and in the future I will for sure try some more.
Country: Italy
Region: Sicily
Grapes: Nerello Mascalese, Merlot, Syrah
Type: Red
Vintage: 2011
Producer: Cottanera
Price range: Medium (15-30 US$)
Pascal’s Enjoyment Index: 3/5