Staff Notes:
"The 2012 Nerello Mascalese Vigne Vecchie takes things to a darker, earthier yet ultimately thrilling level, as crushed black raspberry and plum sauce are complemented by hints of exotic brown spice, tobacco and underbrush. This gains freshness through notes of white smoke and roses that emerge with time in the glass. It’s silky, verging on fleshy and quite potent, ushering in textural waves of ripe wild berries and sweet spices, yet balance is maintained through a core of brisk acidity. This leaves a saturation of primary purple and blue-toned concentration upon the senses, becoming youthfully chewy through the dramatically long and lightly structured finale. There is no sign of the 16% abv that’s stated on the label, as the 2012 Vigne Vecchie comes across as completely harmonious, but in need of another year or two of cellaring. Calabretta and their seven hectares of high-elevation vineyards are located on Etna’s northern slope. At this family farm, tradition rules supreme. Most of the vines found throughout their vineyards are between 70 and 80 years old, planted along steep stone terraces, and many of them are ungrafted. All work is done by hand, which is actually necessary here, and without the use of pesticides or herbicides. Calabretta relies on spontaneous fermentations with wild yeasts, matures their wines in 50- to 70-hectoliter Slavonian oak botti and only releases them when they feel that they are ready to drink. The 2011 and 2012 Vigne Vecchie in this report are the current available vintages. The wines of Calabretta are for readers who want to explore what centuries of tradition truly looks like; but be aware, they can be just as extreme as the terroir of Etna itself." ​94 Points, Eric Guido, Vinous