Simon J Woolf & Friends on Wild and Wonderful Wines
If you want to understand age-worthy, serious Nerello Mascalese, here it is, from a micro-producer working with a high-altitude, ungrafted plot on Etna’s north side. Big on tannins and ripeness, but at its core lies that charming, almost floral red Read more
Chunky, tannic and seriously macerated, this is the kind of orange wine that aficionados will love. It’s loaded with concentrated dried and candied fruit and a hint of Malvasia di Candia’s beautiful stinkiness. It’s a bit like a more straight Read more
A lightly macerated field blend from a very old vineyard ranging from 650-1000m high, tended by the irrepressible Giuseppe Scirto and Valeria Franco – a young couple making some of Etna’s most honest and typical wines. The stated variety is Read more
Quite a lot on the nose here, with not only fresh apricot but also dried herbs and apricot kernel. The fruit is certainly ripe, but with a rather flat and heavy texture due to low acids. There’s a nice nuttiness Read more
Rather yeasty and a bit lactic/yoghurty on the finish. There’s some typical apricot fruit on the palate, and a dry finish, but other than that, not much to see here, and not particularly enjoyable either. The back-label has some fun Read more
Expressive right off the bat, with inviting fresh apricot aromas that lead to concentrated dried apricot fruit on the palate. Quite juicy and citrussy along with it. There’s a lovely lift and freshness, with a salty whisp and a bit Read more
Fermented for 10 months in amphora, before further ageing in 50 litre “glass vats” (no, me neither – are they some kind of huge demi-john?) before bottling without filtration or fining. The producer states that this was skin fermented, but Read more
Here, this pink-skinned PIWI is fermented on its skins for a month, before ageing 50/50 in steel and used 500 litre barrels. The nose is slightly waxy, with some baked plums and red grape skin aromatics. Lots of ripeness here, Read more
This estate now only grows PIWIs (disease resistant modern crossings), and Bronner is one of their favoured white varieties. The nose invites with a Pinot Blanc-like note of chamomile, cream soda, honey and matchstick (light reduction). Full bodied, rich and Read more
Floral, slightly geranium and floral-tinged nose, with notes of candied peel and angelica root. Very soft bubbles – barely frizzante, and those bubbles do die quickly in the glass. Full of expressive orchard fruits. There’s a typical PIWI twang, but Read more