2011 Salvo Foti, I Vigneri, IGT Rosso, Etna, Sicily.
This old vine Nerello Mascalese is one of the treasures of Sicily, and Salvo Forti is a local legend, his wine is one of the most sought after reds of Italy. This red comes from the slopes of Mount Etna, Sicily’s active volcano and uses Salvo’s ancient and secret crushing and pressing methods, but regardless of history and mystery, Foti’s 2011 I Vigneri is a stunning wine and it captures the soul of the region and delivers a wine that would not be out of place next to the great wines of the world, in fact Enta Rosso has recently been labelled figuratively as Italy’s (Sicily’s) Burgundy, such is the grace, transparency and layered complexity, such is the potential of Nerello Mascalese when crafted like Salvo Foti’s wines are. The elegant and deep 2011 Foti I Vigneri starts with a spicy nose that shows red spices, warm stones, dried roses and framboise leading to a medium weighted palate of raspberry, plum, morello cherry and flinty mineral notes with hints of balsamic, soy and lavender oil, finishing with considerable length and lingering rose petal and strawberry aftertaste. This intriguing and seductive wine should be on your must find list this year, drink 2014-2021.
($42 Est.) 95 Points, grapelive