Questo vino
Vineyard and terroir
Guardiola is the estate’s highest cru, situated at the upper limit of the Etna DOC on the northern slope, between 900 and 1,000 m. The 1.2 ha vineyard occupies steep, narrow terraces. Its lean volcanic soil consists chiefly of sand and pumice, with little or no ash. The bush-trained and modified bush-trained vines average 90–120 years old. The difficult terrain makes vineyard work necessarily manual. Yield is 3.5–4.5 tonnes per hectare.
Altitude heightens the wine’s acidity, while the poor soil accentuates its tannic structure, making complete ripening particularly important.
Grapes
100% Nerello Mascalese.
Vinification
The grapes are harvested during the third ten days of October. Alcoholic fermentation takes place at a controlled 28–30°C, followed by spontaneous malolactic fermentation.
Ageing
The wine matures for 14 months in French oak barriques and tonneaux, followed by 1 month in stainless steel before bottling.
Technical data
Alcohol: 14.5%. Annual production: 3,500 bottles of 0.75 L.
Tasting profile
Pale ruby with orange reflections. The complex bouquet has a balsamic quality recalling wild Mediterranean herbs. The palate is elegant and taut, built on a firm tannic frame and sinewy rather than muscular power. In youth it is the estate’s most closed and demanding cru, marked by intensity, rigorous minerality and pronounced tension. With time, the structure relaxes and the tannins soften without losing authority or vigour.
Serving and pairing
Serve at 18–20°C. Pair with meat and mature cheeses, braised or stewed dishes, rabbit alla cacciatora, hare, finanziera, spit-roasted liver, or sausages and beans.
Label / history
Guardiola was the estate’s starting point: its first vineyard and first wine, released in 2002. It was also the first Etna Rosso to restore the contrada name to the label and the first presented in a Burgundy-shaped bottle.
