Gaja Idda Etna Rosso 2019

This is an exciting wine, made by the Gaja and Graci families in Sicily's Etna mountain region. Etna is famous for being the highest active volcano in Europe, for being a mountain that originated over hundreds of thousands of years of lava eruptions. The Sicilians compare this volcano to a strict yet generous mother, which is why they call her ‘IDDA,’ meaning ‘SHE’ in the Sicilian dialect. IDDA is pure energy, it is land where every fruit ripens with many different nuances. Which is why when the Gaja family decided to produce an exceptional wine on Etna mountain, they named her IDDA.

In 2016, the Gaja and Graci families began their adventure in Sicily. A winery founded to explore the southern slope of Etna, with the purpose of searching for vineyards that express elegance and complexity thanks to the nature of the soil and the sunlight that characterizes these places. Today, they own approximately 52 acres of vineyards, between 2,000 and 2,600 feet elevation, in the village of Belpasso & Biancavilla. The grape varieties currently planted are Carricante, Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio. The 2017 was the first vintage of IDDA Etna Rosso.  

This is pure Nerello Mascalese from the Biancavilla vineyard – the first plot of land purchased by Idda on the southwest slopes of Sicily’s Mount Etna. Here the soils of Biancavilla are among the oldest of the entire Etna DOC. Whereas the 2017 release provided a lighter and more playful interpretation, the 2019 is a more classic and structured expression of the indigenous varietal, from what is regarded as the superior vintage for the region. From the moment you open the wine, the aromatics scream Sicily and lure you in. You can expect nuances of wild berries, black cherries, sarsaparilla, citrus, cinnamon, wild and herbs, tar, and smoke. Some would say this wine reminds them of a Barolo or Nebbiolo, which is also not a long shot considering its Piemontese creator. It is a serious and age-worthy release for sure. Even with all of its structure and tannins, it is still succulent, savory and delicious with aeration and/or food. Open this bottle and dream of being in Southern Italy with a pizza topped with handmade pork sausage in front of you...