Tenuta di Fessina
Etna, Sicily
The late Silvia Maestrelli shines on for her ability to produce the finest Etna wines, her legacy. Such was her understanding and sheer love for the volcanic land surrounding the imposing volcano. Today, Tenuta di Fessina is known for creating wines that stand up to the greatest made in this DOC and in the whole of Italy.
Their mesmerising whites are truly the most limpid manifestation of Carricante, particularly from the ‘A’Puddara’ cru. As for the reds, they vividly embody the northern reaches of Etna; at once an imposing and delicate interpretation of the indigenous Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio that thrive in this ominous territory. Through years perfecting her craft, Maestrelli successfully harnessed the earth, fire, and ice which shaped this improbable Sicilian haven of fine wine.
These new releases are not only a benchmark of Etna terroir, but they hold a very special meaning for us; the utter delight they incite upon drinking and the compelling way in which they come to be is reason enough to pay respect to one of the greatest producers that ever existed.
“Etna immediately imposed a gravitational influence on me. After my first taste of Nerello Mascalese I searched for years to find the perfect terroir to show exactly the expression of this land that I had in mind. Then I found Fessina, with rocks pitched just like the old walls of a French clos, with the most fine and elegant soil. Since then, Fessina has been home” Silvia Maestrelli.
2023 Etna Bianco ‘Erse’
It epitomises the fresh, clear and vertical character of the the whites that grow on the volcanic lands of Mongibello. This Etna Bianco shows off Carricante’s mix of blade-sharp acidity and mineral texture, along with complexity that grows with age.
Winemaking:
This wine is mainly composed of Carricante with some catarratto and Minella grown in Biancavilla. The vineyards are situated between 900 and 950 meters above sea level. Some are south facing and some east facing. The high altitude creates a cool, well-ventilated climate with notable temperature variations, which favour slow and even ripening. The bunches are delicately pressed, then the must is cold settled before fermentation in stainless steel vats at controlled temperature. The wine rests in stainless steel tanks for a few months before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
The Erse Bianco is the most accessible of the Fessina whites of this release, but maintains an outstanding structure and driven acidity. Aromas of grapefruit, green mango and green pineapple complement a pithy, chalky citrus base. The high-acid, uber fresh palate is still juicy with a touch of glycerol rounding off the sharp edges. A very serious Etna white from some very high altitude vines in Milo.
2022 Etna Bianco ‘A Puddara’
A’Puddara is a cru made from 100% Carricante. It refers to the stars that can be seen from the sea on the summit of Mount Etna in summer, the Pleiades, called in dialect "A' Puddara". Produced in the Manzuedda district of Biancavilla, on the southern side of Etna, 900 meters above sea level, it is an authentic mountain wine, combining fruit freshness and a hidden smoky vein. It’s reminiscent of the eternal snows of the summit and the ardent volcanic flames. It’s earned Tenuta di Fessina many national and international awards since 2009, their first vintage.
Winemaking:
The bunches are pressed whole without destemming after careful selection in the vineyard and on the sorting belt in the cellar. The pressings are then cold settled, then fermented in 3500 litre French oak barrels. The wine rests on fine lees for 6 to 8 months.
Tasting Notes:
For 2022, yet again, A’Puddara is a thriller. Unquestionably Etna, this searing white wine is of the highest order. Structurally imposing, it possesses an arsenal of racing acidity with aromatics of hazelnut, mineral salts, lemon curd, pickled cucumber and hawthorn nestled amongst layers of textural complexity. Refreshing and invigorating.
2019 Etna Bianco ‘Il Musmeci’
The Etna Bianco Superiore Musmeci embodies the contrast between cold perennial snow and the heat of Etna. Tenuta di Fessina’s seminal vineyard encompasses an 18th century mill built from lava stones, where the grapes are processed.
Winemaking:
100% Carricante. The vines were planted in 1920 on milo soil, facing South at about 1000 meters above sea level. The fruit is naturally fermented in stainless steel. The wine is lightly filtered and aged in the finest French oak barrels for 6 months, then 24 months in bottle before release.
Tasting Notes:
The 2019 Etna Bianco Superiore Contrada Caselle Il Musmeci is wickedly spicy and fresh, with zests of lemon and sweet mint complemented by a dusting of confectioners’ sugar, hazelnut, and hints of vanilla bean. It boasts silky textures and is more savoury than anticipated, with tart orchard fruits and notes of raw almond that fill the senses. The 2019 Caselle Il Musmeci finishes lightly structured yet long, with hints of young peach and mango that linger, along with a residual burst of acidity that keeps the energy high. Nearly a minute goes by, and there’s still a lemon-ring bitter note that lingers. Wow. 93 pts. Eric Guido, Vinous.
2023 Etna Rosato ‘Erse’
Often described as the truest volcanic wine of the line-up. It sits well apart from the other classic rosés, in fact, inching closer to a red wine than a Provence rosé. This one couldn’t be from anywhere but Etna.
Winemaking:
This wine is made of Nerello Cappuccio and a bit of Nerello Mascalese from the Rovittello vineyards. The grapes are gently destemmed and crushed after careful selection in the vineyard and on the sorting belt in the cellar. The batches are vinified separately with cold maceration to capture light colour and aromas. They are then blended for fermentation and subsequent refinement in stainless steel tanks.
Tasting Notes:
A really beautiful, if slightly alternative version of Fessina’s inimitable Etna Rosato. It leaps out of the glass with a vinous note, fresh juicy pomegranate, fennel and watermelon. The palate is spicy and mineral, with a pink peppercorn bite. A little yoghurty run through softens the otherwise bracing acid tang.
2022 Etna Rosso ‘Erse’
This is a blend of Nerello Cappuccio and Nerello Mascalese, grown on east-facing vineyards, therefore sheltered from the afternoon heat. It’s dedicated to the Greek goddess of dew. It shows intense fruit and a pleasant freshness. Elegance and strong sense of place are its two main attributes. Full-bodied and silky, it satisfies the taste of those looking for a daily wine with the strength of Nerelli and immediate enjoyment.
Winemaking:
The fruit comes from a 70-year-old vineyard situated in Rovittello, North of Etna. The vines sit at 700m above sea level. The fruit is gently destemmed, co-macerated and fermented for 9 days in stainless steel at controlled temperature. The wine sits on skins from 6 to 9 days and aged in stainless steel for 6 months, and in bottle for 12 months before release.
Tasting Notes:
Such a beautifully composed Etna Rosso, and possibly the most terroir-driven of the wines from this new release. Scorched earth and licorice on the nose, which opens out to juicy cherries and fennel seed. The palate displays a brilliant energy and soft but plentiful tannins. A lovely interpretation of Erse Rosso, and so moreish.
2020 Erse Rosso 1911 Contrada Moscamento
This wine finds its origins in the 1911 eruption that spared a selection from old vines growing amongst the lava rock that formed a volcanic trench rich in basalt, iron, and manganese, in Rovittello. Through this ‘cru’, Tenuta di Fessina focus on this volcanic fragment with a unique micro-climate – shaped as an amphitheatre, which ensures that the Nerello grapes ripen slowly and evenly, resulting in wines with a strong indentity, elegance and depth.
Winemaking:
The Nerello Mascalese is gently destemmed, co-macerated and fermented for 9 days in stainless steel at controlled temperature. The wine sits on skins from 6 to 9 days, then fermented and aged for 24 months in large French oak barrels, then 12 months in the bottle to guarantee finesse and structure.
2019 Etna Rosso ‘Il Musmeci’
The reserve is made of the oldest vineyard on the estate panted in 1932, and only in the exceptional vintages. The Musmeci cru is surrounded by a clos, a wall made of a combination of volcanic rock and the natural path of the lava formed over centuries. Though not quite pre-phylloxera as some in Etna are, this ancient site produces what we believe is Tenuta di Fessina’s most significant red wine.
Winemaking:
100% Nerello Mascalese from 90-year-old vines of the Musmeci cru situated in Rovittello, North of Etna. The vines sit at 700m above sea level. The juice is fermented in 3,500L French oak and macerated on skins for 15 days. The wine spends a total of 18 months in large French oak, then 24 months in bottle before release. It’s unfiltered.
Tasting Notes:
This cuvee has changed significantly in recent vintages, particularly as the large oak ‘botti’ have seasoned it is no longer marked by any oaky fingerprint. Now, it is very much a volcano wine, earthen and smokey with tobacco and licorice inflexions. Dig down and it has a core of marasca cherry and salted plums. The palate carries this same wonderful salinity, with lovely balance and plenty of fine tannins. Like all of the wines from here, it is almost impossibly fresh.
There’s something very grounding and penetrating about this wine, perhaps the rich volcanic earth characters, combined with dark chocolate coated cherry, or the sweet liquorice, mouth-watering guanciale fat and undergrowth characters forming an aromatic profile so typical of old vine Etna. After a bit of aeration, the palate gives way to lush and youthful fruit and soft-edged tannins of the finest calibre. Lengthy and so complex. 92 pts. Antonio Galloni, Vinous.